Between The Stars
by Mahler Avatar
Summary: Lorwardia and Earth are at peace, and Kim and Ron try to balance their married life with the challenges of college. But a secret interstellar plot will threaten both Earth and our heroes in this first epic sequel to Across The Stars. K/R, Shego/Drakken.
1. Prologue

_Even though it's been over a year since its completion, 'Across The Stars' continues to be a popular story, with more hits than all of my other stories combined. So to commemorate my third anniversary on the Kim Possible site, I submit for your approval its first sequel, 'Between The Stars,' in the same epic spirit of sci-fi adventure and romance as the original. I hope that you will all enjoy it every bit as much as the first. And leave a review, I promise a reply. _

* * *

_There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy._

_Shakespeare's Hamlet: Act 1, Scene V_

* * *

Prologue

The three comet aliens hovered just beyond the interdimensional portal through which they were currently observing our universe. Their coruscating colors intensified as their incorporeal forms focused in more closely on the Earth, and specifically the humans named Kim and Ron.

The first one spoke. "The one called Kim Possible appears to have adjusted quite well to her new powers."

The second one agreed. "Yes, and she has used them wisely. Unusual for one so young, and much unlike those who had received their own singular powers many years before."

The third one added, "True, but even _they_ have matured as time has advanced. Particularly the one called Shego."

The first seemed hesitant. "Indeed. She has turned from her evil path to one of decency and uprightness. However..."

The second picked up on the subtle implication. "Yes, I sense it as well. There still exists a degree of emotional tension and instability within her. Unless she is able to resolve that tension, it could lead to severe conflict, or worse."

The third remained upbeat, however. "Of course we know that has always been the case with these humans. But as a whole, they have remained remarkably resilient and adaptable. And now there is peace again in their galaxy, thanks particularly to Kim and Shego, as well as to their mates Ron Stoppable, and the one called Drakken."

The first corrected him. "I believe he now prefers his earlier appellation, Drew Lipsky. But he also remains fond of his peculiar doctoral title."

The second let out a chuckle. "True. But it is ironic that the female's names imply strength and confidence, while those of the two males imply... something else."

The first swirled in humorous agreement. "Hmm. Stoppable and Lipsky... Yes, I see what you mean. The names suggest weakness and ineffectiveness, but in truth they acquitted themselves quite well. In point of fact, they acted nearly as bravely as their female counterparts did during their most notable adventures, now almost one standard earth year ago. And the prophecies concerning the Great Blue and the Great Red were likewise fulfilled, although perhaps not quite as expected."

The third glowed brightly in accord, his scintillating colors implying his steadfast opinion. "Yes! And I have complete confidence that they will all rise to their upcoming challenges as well."

The second hesitated before replying, his now muted colors telegraphing his concerns. "I can only hope that the faith you are placing in the two males will be ultimately justified. Unfortunately, by my latest calculations I estimate their chances of success in the upcoming challenge as little better than 50 percent."

The third scoffed, "Indeed! I've certainly heard _that_ line from you before. Didn't you predict last year that there existed only a 60.14159265 percent chance of a successful conclusion?"

The second glowed red in annoyance. "My calculations were correct based on the data available at the time, _e__specially_ considering the enormous amount of friction that existed between the two females at that particular moment. And although it is true that they all eventually succeeded far beyond our expectations, that does not necessarily imply that success is assured now. Do not forget that our first comet was a failure in delivering all its powers to the Chosen One, in spite of our most careful calculations."

He began to calm down. "And this time, the farther into the future I extrapolate, the more my calculations are clouded by each individual's personality quirks, not to mention how those quirks affect their closest relationships. As you well know, humans are notoriously emotional, which only adds to my difficulty. And very soon, much more will depend on the two males."

The first concurred. "This is true, of course. But we are fortunate that the incredible randomness of the one called Stoppable has been mitigated somewhat by his command of the Mystical Monkey Power, and the one called Lipsky has likewise gained some stability after his accidental botanical mishap."

If the third had had a corporeal body, he would have smiled. "And we cannot underestimate the positive effect of the friendships they all now enjoy, not to mention their romantic pledges to each other, now that the males and females are mated."

The colors of the first now began to dim as he turned to the second. "However, the males still suffer from many random quirks and foibles, and the female's powers may have bred overconfidence. Have you taken that into consideration?"

"Yes, as well as their most peculiar emotion."

"Ah, yes, the emotion that they call love. Not very logical, but still most extraordinary."

The second one's colors began to cautiously intensify. "Agreed. That emotion alone accounts for a tremendously wide variance in my calculations. Indeed, their commitments to each other, fueled by their romantic inclinations, proved to be the deciding factor last time. But let us not forget that all that has already transpired can just as easily be undone."

The first concluded, "Let us hope then that love will carry the day. Besides, there is little we can do directly to assist them now. The die has been cast, and certain events have already been put into motion, the results of which cannot be easily altered. And I do not need to remind you that the Hierarchy has likewise forbidden any further interference on our part for the moment, for fear of creating any further unforeseen situations. So let us observe what transpires, and hope for the best."

The portal began to close, leaving each alien lost in his own thoughts.


	2. Beginnings

_Many thanks to all who have read, and especially this week's reviewers: Eddy13, Sentinel103, readerjunkie, Katsumara, Krystalslazz, CajunBear73, Mystique84, Reader101w, AceMate and LTAOZFAN. And a shoutout to pbow for a review of Across The Stars. I greatly appreciate the encouragement, and for all of you out there who are reading. Standard disclaimers apply, of course: I don't own Kim Possible, the Mouse still does, and I gain nothing from this except the joy of writing, and sharing the power of my imagination..._

* * *

Beginnings

"Behind you, Kim!"

Kim spun around at Ron's warning, and not a moment too soon. The villain's weapon was pointed right at her, but as usual, she was just a little quicker. All it took was one concentrated burst of her bright green plasma to melt the evildoer's gun into so much slag. He yelped with pain as he dropped the superheated metal from his burned hand.

"Melts in your hand, not in your mouth, huh, KP?"

Kim rolled her eyes at his quip. "Cute, Ron. Now, that _was_ the last of them this time, wasn't it?"

Ron used his Mystical Monkey Power to scan the now empty Bavarian lair, and nodded with certainty. "Yup, I'm sure this time. Honest."

Kim sighed, "Well, that's what you said the last time, when Dementor's goon nearly took my head off with that hyperlaser. Good thing I was able to shrink myself in the nick of time."

Ron instantly recalled the vision of when Warhok held the unconscious Kim by one leg, laughing in victory. He gave her a chagrined look. "I'm… I'm really sorry about that Kim. But I'm absolutely positive this time. Even with my Mystical Monkey Power, I can still be surprised."

Her heightened senses told her that her husband of nearly nine months was correct. "That's okay, Ron. He was laying in wait for us and keeping as silent as possible. Not your fault. That mystical power of yours isn't 'The Force,' ya know."

Ron gave her a gentle kiss. "Yeah, I know. Wish it were though. I promised you I'd always have your back."

He recalled his wedding vows from the year before. _"As your sidekick, I've helped you fight bad guys, monsters and aliens, and now I've decided that I want to devote my entire life to you, no longer just as your sidekick, but as your husband and partner for life, until death do us part."_

The 'until death do us part' part had always spooked Ron after what they had both been through the year before. Ron continued out loud, "So if I ever slipped up and something really bad happened..."

He let that thought hang in the air for a moment before continuing. "I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you, Kim."

Kim returned his comment with a wan smile. "And the same goes for me, Ron. But our powers don't guarantee us immortality."

Her smile warmed a bit as she pulled him into a gentle embrace. "But it does give us a spankin' edge. So don't worry about it."

Ron visibly relaxed. "Right back at you, KP. Now if we could just recover all of those leftover Lorwardian weapons after their attack last year. Those black marketeers have been keeping us _way_ too busy lately."

"I agree, Ron. And that remains one of our most important jobs to do. But don't worry, Global Justice has been kept just as busy. I'm just glad that most of our enemies retired after the UN gave them a blanket pardon for helping us defeat the Lorwardians."

Ron's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, most. But not all. And Professor Dementor's currently at the top of our list of bad guys we love to hate."

Kim grimaced, "No argument from me there."

She looked up at the sky at the approaching Global Justice hoverjet. "But we'll have to worry about him later. GJ will take care of mopping up his goons here, which gives us just enough time to get back to our classes for finals."

They both jumped into their SL Coupe 3.0, and rocketed off a moment later.

"Next stop, London!"

An hour later, they were coasting over the beautiful English countryside.

Kim announced, "First stop, _Le Cordon Bleu International. _Sorry Ron, but I'm gonna have to ask you to bail from here, or else I'll never make it back to my own class on time."

"No problemo, KP. I still have a few minutes before my own class anyway. So Bon Triage, and see ya later tonight!"

Kim giggled, "That's _voyage_, not _triage_, Ron. Triage is what my Mom has to do when she's got multiple surgeries to perform."

"Right-O. Kim!" He gave Kim a quick peck on the cheek and exited the vehicle at a dizzying 5000 feet over his target.

"Tallyho!"

She flew off just as he disappeared into a rolling cloud. Ron immediately pulled his ripcord to deploy his paraglider, but to his horror, it refused to open.

"Uh-oh."

He tried his emergency chute, but it likewise failed to deploy. Both had been lanced by the henchman's errant laser blast and were totally inoperable. He began to panic.

"Whoa-ho-_ho!_ Rufus, prepare for a rough landing!"

Ron's pet naked mole rat popped its head out of his pocket, immediately squealing in fear as he saw the ground swiftly rushing up toward them.

Ron sighed as he did the only thing he could think of. He quickly removed his mission pants and tied the end of each pant leg up in a knot, allowing the slipstream to balloon them out into a makeshift parachute.

"Here we go again, Rufus..."

Their descent was slowed somewhat, but they still were traveling far too fast for a safe landing. Ron immediately activated his Mystical Monkey Power, reducing their velocity to a more survivable rate. An oak tree ultimately broke their fall and Ron safely landed on his feet.

Pantsless. In the middle of a freshman girl's picnic.

The female students all giggled and tittered as they pointed at the young man who had just fallen from the sky, his colorful boxers now wafting in the gentle afternoon breeze. Long used to similar events, Ron merely shrugged as he began to blush slightly. He offered a quick greeting to the amused females as he desperately tried to untie the knots in his pants legs.

"Sorry, ladies. _Heh-heh_. Just playing through."

They continued to laugh as Ron gathered up his clothing, along with what little was left of his dignity.

Still with him through their sudden misadventure, Rufus popped out of Ron's back pocket and waved a cheerful "_Bye-bye_!" to the amusement of all the females present, while Ron quickly rushed off to his class.

He sent a quick thought to Rufus. "_Now, do we really need to tell Kim about this?_"

Rufus drolly thought back, "_Well, that was really nothing out of the ordinary for you, and I'm sure she'll be finding out somehow anyway. So..._"

Ron nodded. "_Yup, I guess honesty is the best policy, but she won't be too happy that I didn't double-check my chute first..._"

* * *

Meanwhile, a breathless Kim raced into her International Law final at the University of London.

"So glad you could grace us with your presence, Mrs. Stoppable."

Kim's instructor, Professor E. Charles Smigly-Baldercrump, was not in a good mood. And he only called her by her legal married name when he was particularly irritated, instead of by her more well-known moniker. Notorious for his prickly temper and acerbic tongue, he had been given the nickname 'Professor S&M' by his students. He was also well known for being a stickler for detail and punctuality. And in spite of the university's agreement with Kim that she be allowed to miss class should an important mission come up, the Professor had not been pleased with the frequency of her missions lately, due in large part to the evil activities of Professor Dementor.

Several students looked up from their final exams as Kim rushed to her seat. One student began to snigger but was instantly cut down to size by the onerous teacher.

"Is something _amusing_ you, Mr. Berkley?"

The young man froze in fear. "N-no, sir!"

The Professor intoned in warning, "Very well then, shouldn't you continue with your exam?"

In the dead silence that followed, Kim sat down and quickly turned over her exam paper. She glanced at the clock.

"_Wow, only 45 minutes left. I've gotta hurry_."

She began writing furiously, quickly answering each question as the minutes ticked by. With only a minute left, she finally reached the last question, but ground to a complete halt as her mind blanked.

_List the four charges brought against the leaders of Germany's Third Reich at the Nurnberg trials of 1945-6._

She furtively tapped her pencil on the desk. "_Okay, Kim. Think. The first one was conspiracy to commit a crime against peace, the second was planning and waging a war of aggression, the third were war crimes, but what was the fourth_?"

She racked her brain for the final charge but came up with nothing, until one singular event popped into her mind. The memory of a fierce battle, and a former villainess about to deliver the fatal blow to the Lorwardian responsible for abducting both Ron and Drakken. Kim recalled the vivid memory, pleased that she had dissuaded Shego from following through and making Warmonga pay the ultimate price for her crimes.

It had turned out to be the right decision. The Earth and Lorwardia were now at peace. Warmonga was now the Empress of Lorwardia, with Shego as Princess Regent and Drakken as the official Great Blue. And centuries of the Lorwardian occupation of a hundred worlds were at last coming to an end.

But it might have been totally different had Shego followed through with her chilling statement regarding the Lorwardians.

_"We could teach them a lesson they'll never forget, and make sure that they never, ever, bother us or anyone else again. Permanently."_

Shades of genocide laced her threat, like a kind of Lorwardian Final Solution.

"The Holocaust! Of course!" She hit herself on the head, grimacing as she thought of Ron, feeling slightly guilty that her husband's Jewish heritage hadn't jogged her memory in the first place.

She quickly scribbled down '_Crimes against humanity_' just as the bell rang. She offered a relieved smile to the Professor as she quickly turned in her paper.

He frowned back. "Just in the nick of time, Mrs. Stoppable."

Kim offered an apology. "Sorry, Professor. Another ferociously evil bad guy needed taking down before he could take over Bavaria. He got away, but we did foil his plot and captured a few of his henchman."

Professor Baldercrump paled, old enough to remember yet another Teutonic criminal who had nearly brought civilization to its knees sixty years before.

"Yes, yes of course. A pity that perhaps an ancestor of yours couldn't have taken out _Der Fuhrer_ before he began his military rampage across Europe."

Kim instantly thought of her grandmother, and some of the stories Nana Possible had shared with her over the past year.

"Not for want of trying, Professor."

He merely cocked an eyebrow at her cryptic comment as she rushed off to her next final.

* * *

"The latest cupcake shipment has just arrived from Earth, your highness."

The female Lorwardian offered a smart salute to the green and black clad figure, who returned her salute with an offhanded wave.

"Yeah, whatever."

"Shall I have them stored in the warehouse, m'lady?"

Shego wagged her head. "No, load them directly onto a groundtruck for immediate delivery to our flagship store. These things are so flippin' popular, we can't keep 'em on the shelves."

She looked out the window and frowned at Bueno Nacho #1000, directly across the street from them. Even though it was open 26 hours a day, it was always crowded.

"Even with the competition from the Ronster's favorite fast food joint. I'm glad that Hank's Intergalactic Cupcakes has been such a big hit, but I still wonder how many zillions of bucks the sidekick's making off of _his_ place?"

"Probably more than us, but we're still making quite a tidy amount, Shego."

She chuckled as she turned to her blue-skinned husband. "Yeah, there's nothing quite like a little friendly competition to keep us on our toes while we line our pockets with cash."

"And Lorwardian credits," he added with a cackle. "The world economies of both the Earth and Lorwardia have picked up quite a bit now that regularly scheduled shuttle flights are being made. Now my only problem is getting enough sugar cane to grow here. We have plenty of wheat for flour now, but even my recent terraforming can't overcome problems of climate and soil to grow enough sugar to meet the demand. And what a demand! Who would have guessed that these Lorwardians would have such a sweet tooth?"

He sighed happily at the thought of the average Lorwardian's insatiable appetite. "But still, that remains a bottleneck in our supply chain which limits our production, and therefore our profits."

Shego laughed again. "Dr. D, don't shortchange yourself. You've already terraformed a quarter of the planet with your super plant mutagen. And will you just listen to yourself talk? You sound more like an upstanding businessman rather than the evil mad scientist you used to be, always threatening to take over the world."

Drakken graced her with an evil smile. "Oh, but I still _am_, Shego. I've just changed my strategy to a more _economic_ type of megalomania. And as we've happily discovered, that's been _much_ more profitable."

He cleared his throat. "And quite a bit safer, considering our sordid past."

"Worky, worky, I know." Shego slinked over to him and began rubbing his shoulders, adding just a touch of plasma to warm and relax his tight muscles. "There, how does that feel?"

He gave a small groan of pleasure. "Wonderful as always, my dear."

"And if you're a real good boy and finish your work on time today, later on we could..."

She softly whispered her idea into his ear, to which he responded with a mock frown.

"Shego, you're simply insatiable."

His expression changed into an eager grin. "Just the way I like it."

Drakken instantly sprouted a bouquet of red roses from around his vines, deftly plucking the tender flowers and presenting them to her with a gentlemanly flourish.

She cooed, "Oooh, Dr. D! How pretty!"

"Yes, a _cheerful_ attack, as Warhok once said."

Shego accepted the flowers gleefully. But a moment later her shoulders drooped as she exhaled a small sigh.

Drakken looked concerned. "What is it Shego? Would you prefer a different color?"

Shego began to stare out the window, lost in thought.

"No, Drew, it's not that. It's just..."

She hesitated another moment. "It's just that we have everything we've ever wanted now, including each other. But I miss the good ol' days."

She began absentmindedly filing the claws of her black gloves.

"Drew, you're the official Great Blue and in charge of Lorwardia's mighty war machine, but you really can't use it without violating the peace treaty with Earth. So you've turned into an entrepreneur and botanical research scientist instead. And I've given up my own life of crime, now that I'm Lorwardia's Princess Regent and ambassador to Earth."

Drakken cocked an eyebrow, a hint of fear now tinging his voice. Shego's moods still could be so unpredictable. "And you're … not happy with that?"

"No! I'm _very_ happy. It's just, well, not as exciting as it's been in the past. I miss the thrill of the chase, or _being_ chased, honing my thieving skills to a fine edge, and enjoying an occasional battle with the Princess."

He harrumphed, "Well, she _is _your cousin, and Earth's ambassador to Lorwardia now. It wouldn't look very good if you had any plasma-filled confrontations now, would it?"

A scene from _The War of the Worlds_ flashed unbidden into his mind.

She grimaced, "Yeah, you're right. But I'd give a lot for just a little more adventure and excitement, that's all. If I have to sit through another deathly boring trade conference with any more stuffy diplomats, I swear I'm gonna hurl."

Drakken tsked back, "Well, you know what they say, Shego. Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it."

Shego snarked back, "Yeah? And just who are _they_? I've always heard the phrase 'you know what _they _say,' but no one's ever identified the little brats."

In a fit of pique, she fired a powerful plasma bolt into the far wall for good measure. Drakken took a cautious step back, knowing how nasty Shego could get during one of her little tiffs.

He weakly offered, "Just a saying, that's all, my dear."

"Yeah, I know," she groused. Shego exhaled in a wistful huff as she watched the blue-white Lorwardian sun set in the distance. "I know..."

* * *

An hour later, two Lorwardians of the Imperial Guard skulked stealthily down a dark back street of the planet's capital city, Lorwardia Prime.

One whispered to the other, "Are you sure you want to go through with this, Battlefox? Remember that once we begin, there's no turning back."

The other frowned in the darkness and hissed back, "Yes, Wolfenstrike, high treason does give one reason for pause. But it's either this or else face the loss of the last vestiges of our planet's honor, and all we have stood for. If we succeed however, we will be treated as heroes."

Wolfenstrike warned, "But if we fail, we'll be dead. Or worse."

He sighed heavily. "Well, let's see what the boss has up his sleeve."

They entered a small non-descript building and walked down the empty corridor. Their heavy footsteps echoed back as a dim light shown from the room at the end of the hallway.

They opened the door into a cramped room where three others sat waiting: a high ranking Lorwardian officer, a smartly dressed human, and someone, or some_thing_ else. The first one spoke.

"Greetings, brothers. Won't you both please have a seat?"

Battlefox growled, "Let's skip the idle pleasantries and get down to business, WarRaptor."

WarRaptor continued, "I couldn't agree more. We're here this evening to discuss how to free ourselves from beneath the yoke of our planet's shameful peace treaty with Earth, and restore Lorwardia to its rightful place as ruler of the galaxy. We were thoroughly humiliated by our defeat last year, and we cannot let that stand. Not only were we completely trounced by mere humans, but there were only five of them!"

Wolfenstrike interjected, "Uh, technically there were six. You're forgetting the naked mole rat."

WarRaptor gave him a long-suffering look before continuing.

"Very well, six versus six hundred of our proudest, best trained troops. Disgraceful! And let's not forget that this peace treaty specifies Dr. Drakken as the Great Blue, and his mate Shego as the Great Green and Princess Regent. To be ruled and commanded by humans? This humiliation cannot stand!"

Wolfenstrike added, "Yes, but although technically we lost, the benefits we now enjoy far outweigh the negatives. Our chronic food shortage has finally ended. Thanks to the Great Blue, the planet can fully support its own people for the first time in over two hundred years."

WarRaptor spat back, "Food? Bah! In only nine months, our warriors have become soft, content to lounge lazily in front of televisors and watch sports competitions, while consuming vast amounts of... what do the humans call it? Snack food?"

Battlefox shrugged, "Yes, but at least we all have enough food to eat."

WarRaptor continued to press his point. "Perhaps, but they also combine it with that strange alcoholic liquid the humans call... _beer_. It's effervescence causes massive belching, and its alcoholic content dulls the senses and loosens the tongue. Drunken brawls have already broken out over who's team is better, or should have won. Our warriors are now fighting each other from the sidelines instead of fighting our enemies as _warrior brothers_!"

He slammed his massive fist down on the table, leaving a large crack behind.

"The time has come to put a stop to this puerile foolishness. Our society continues to be undermined by Earth's strange ideas and customs. So we need to regain what we have lost: our warrior spirit, our pride, and our thirst for true conquest. It is our grand destiny, which has been derailed by the humans and by Warmonga. She has lost three battles and suffered three humiliations, and yet she is still allowed to rule over Lorwardia as our Empress!"

The look of disgust on his face was clear to all present. "And she has become soft and weak after her constant exposure to the humans."

Battlefox stood up in disagreement. "I would call neither her nor her human friends weak, WarRaptor. Not unless you don't care to see the next dawn, that is. You saw how easily those five humans and their pet devastated our proudest warriors. You yourself still carry the scars of that battle. In retrospect, I daresay that you should have never been allowed to join the Imperial Guard in the first place. It was only because your father was WarOwl that..."

"ENOUGH!" WarRaptor jumped up, sword drawn, ready to strike down Battlefox for his slight.

But Battlefox stood his ground as he calmly continued, "We all agree that something must be done. But if we again spark the human's ire, much more blood will be spilled, followed by yet another ignoble Lorwardian defeat. How can we fight back against such overwhelming strength and resolve, especially that of the one called Kim Possible?"

WarRaptor grudgingly conceded his point and replaced his sword into its scabbard. He then flashed everyone a wicked smile.

"Through craft and guile, of course. My dear departed father was a master of that."

A chuckle rippled through the room. "Yes, and we see where _that_ got him..."

This time WarRaptor ignored the slight, smiling back with optimistic confidence. "That's because he neither had a logical plan, nor realized who or what he was really up against. I now have both."

He cheerily continued, "There is an ancient Earth saying, divide and conquer. We will begin by sowing suspicion and discord among our enemies, after which we will pick them off one by one without having to face them all at once."

He continued offhandedly, "We will, of course, need to consider the abduction of Empress Warmonga."

Everyone in the room gasped.

Wolfenstrike blurted out, "Have you lost your mind? She'd start by killing us all and then have each and every one of us stuffed and mounted on her palace wall!"

WarRaptor waved his hand for quiet. "Yes, I know, easier said than done. But by shifting the blame onto the humans, we will kill two birds with one stone, as they are so found of saying. And with Warmonga out of the way, we will be able to effectively take over Lorwardia and garner support for our own cause: the return to the old ways."

He smiled grimly to himself as he thought,_ "And the restoration of my father's honor, as well as my own..."_

Wolfenstrike began to speak. "Yes, but what of the treaty with Earth? We can't simply abrogate the treaty without serious consequences."

"An excellent point, my friend." WarRaptor turned to address another member of their cabal. "So I've taken the opportunity to invite a human who may be able to assist us in our efforts. May I introduce Vinnie Wheeler, an expert in interpreting human contracts, and especially in the ways of getting around them."

"We call them loopholes, WarRaptor." Vinnie's smarmy smile revealed a perfect set of pearly white teeth. His well-tailored suit stood in sharp contrast to the battle garb of the Lorwardians.

"I've taken a close look at the treaty, and have found some interesting technicalities. For example, look here at Article II. 'Lorwardia will cease its military occupation of the conquered worlds of the Lorwardian Star Empire. The Magellanic Cloud aliens will act as peacekeepers as the withdrawal occurs, to be completed within one solar year.' "

He looked up with a grin. "But _whose_ solar year? Earth's is three hundred sixty five days, which give you only three more months to complete the withdrawal. But Lorwardia's solar year is four hundred twenty five days, which gives you an additional two months. And if it's the solar year of Lorwardia IV, the next planet in your system, that adds yet another six months. I know it's barely habitable, but I might be able to make it stick in an interstellar court, at least long enough for you to accomplish your goals, that is."

Vinnie flipped over to the next page. "And here in Article III: 'Trade agreements are to be set up for an exchange of Earth-type foodstuffs for Lorwardian technology.' But what _type_ of technology? Military technology isn't specifically mentioned. Besides, most of your technology was, shall we say, _borrowed_ from your conquered worlds. You could just as easily give them the specs to your microwave ovens, and that would be the end of it."

Battlefox now looked distinctly more interested as Vinnie continued to warm to his subject. "It gets even better. Article IV states that Dr. Drakken has been declared the official Great Blue, and that Shego is to act as Princess Regent, should Warmonga be unable to fulfill her duties as Empress. So if the Empress goes missing, suspicion would naturally fall on Dr. Drakken and Shego."

Battlefox erupted in a fierce laugh. "Yes indeed, very devious, Vinnie Wheeler of Earth. Although I'd prefer a straight fight without all this subterfuge, I will be quite happy if it accomplishes our purposes."

But Wolfenstrike still wasn't convinced. "Yes, but doesn't one of the protocols say that should the Empress either meet an untimely end or otherwise go missing, the High Council shall appoint a _new _regent? What if the new regent isn't amenable to our plans? Or even worse, what if we are unable to successfully pin the deed on both Shego and the Great Blue? I know that should Shego succeed Warmonga for any other reason, their huge cupcake company gets liquidated, and Lorwardia gets their assets. But that's a very poor consolation for the possibility of either of them gaining absolute control over Lorwardia."

Vinnie continued his smug smile. "Yeah, but WarRaptor assures us that any choice for the new regent must have the Lorwardian Guard's stamp of approval beforehand. Besides, just consider what would happen if Warmonga goes missing, Shego and Drakken are implicated in her disappearance, and then Shego _herself_ goes missing..."

Wolfenstrike began to catch on. "Ah, I see. Then the High Council will be forced to appoint a new regent, implicate Drakken for both disappearances, _and _take over Hank's Intergalactic Cupcakes."

Vinnie chuckled, "Yes, this gives the phrase _hostile takeover_ an entirely new meaning, doesn't it? And since Dr. Drakken now maintains a dual citizenship on both Earth _and_ Lorwardia, you can simply arrest him as being a traitor. His Earth citizenship won't be enough to help him under those particular circumstances."

WarRaptor continued with his plan. "And that's where _we_ come in. As current leader of the Imperial Guard, I'm now advancing you both in rank and responsibility to only one step below me. Together we will make our enemies simply... disappear. And at the opportune moment, we will arrest Drakken. The High Council will then have no other choice but to appoint _me_ as the new regent, and ultimately Emperor. You both will again be advanced in rank, given your own ships... no, your own _battlefleets _to command, and then the galaxy will once again tremble beneath Lorwardia's irresistible might!"

Now it was Battlefox's turn to offer a warning. "This is all sounds very enticing, but aren't you forgetting something? I don't believe for a moment that Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable are just going to sit by quietly while all this happens. And they're the most powerful of our foes. Wolfenstrike and I have both sadly learned that from personal experience, after our failed attack on Earth. What about _them_? And you _still_ haven't told us exactly how you're going to take care of Warmonga!"

WarRaptor turned to the fifth member of their cabal. Neither human nor Lorwardian, the being's pale gray face was hidden beneath a dark, hooded cloak.

"Just leave that to me. Allow me to introduce our trump card. This is Grallx, a shapeshifter from one of our outlying star systems, and he has the honor of carrying out the first phase of our plan. His mission will be to obtain two particular devices from Earth, with which we will be able to completely neutralize all of our enemies. And as a reward, we've promised his planet complete autonomy from the Lorwardian Star Empire once his mission is complete."

Battlefox sneered, "Bah! What kind of devices? Do not forget that WarOwl's magnificent toys ultimately brought about his own demise, and I for one do not wish to follow in his footsteps."

But WarRaptor remained upbeat. "I'd like to keep the nature of those devices a secret for the moment. But what I _will_ share with you is this. After Warmonga abducted Ron Stoppable and Dr. Drakken last year in order to determine who would become the official Great Blue, a recording was made of the interrogation by my late father. He used a device known as the Psychotronic Historical Analyzer, which probed the memories of those two. I've recently discovered a computer backup of that entire proceeding, which also recorded many of their... earthly adventures, shall we say? These devices are from their past, and trust me, they are simply made to order for our purposes. We've sadly learned that brute strength alone will not prevail against our foes, but as the saying goes, there's more than one way to skin a Thorgoggle."

Grallx instantly morphed into a virtual duplicate of Vinnie Wheeler and began to speak in perfect English. "Hey, it'll be a piece of cake. No problem!"

Battlefox pondered his words as he carefully observed both Grallx and WarRaptor. "So, we need do nothing in the meantime until his mission is successful?"

WarRaptor smiled back. "Correct."

Battlefox turned with a questioning look to Wolfenstrike, who nodded back in agreement. "Very well. We're in, for the moment. And if we succeed, we may indeed be savoring a most pleasant revenge..."

"_If_ we succeed? Hah! _When_ we succeed, Battlefox!" WarRaptor happily rubbed his hands together. "Excellent! Then, after these initial plans are executed, we will take the final step, taking care of Earth once and for all. After that, no one will be able to stop us from regaining control over all of our conquered worlds. Lorwardia will once again begin its victorious march of conquest, and resume its rightful place as rulers of the galaxy!"

He turned to Grallx and fiercely whispered, "It's all up to you, now. Your reward will be great. Do not fail us..."

Grallx morphed back into his true form, giving WarRaptor what must have passed for a smile on his own world. He simply rose and left them, fading into the shadows of the approaching night.

_**TBC...**_


	3. Chef's Surprise

_My thanks to all of you out there who are reading, and especially to Eddy13, CajunBear73, Sentinel103, readerjunkie, Katsumara, Reader101w, Bookworm Gal, Oreochema, and kaitlynchosenisme for reviewing. The responses have been terrific, and if I can keep on schedule, you can expect a new chapter from me about every week to ten days. Now let's see what the Ronster's up to..._

* * *

Chef's Surprise

After changing out of his mission clothes and into his chef's outfit, Ron confidently strode into his class. Not only was this his last class of the day, it was the final class of the semester. And it would consist of the most grueling of tests. The time had come for the dreaded Adjudication, where the top three student chefs were challenged to prepare a magnificent seven-course meal for some of the toughest food critics in London. Although the English as a whole weren't known for their cooking, there were still quite a few excellent restaurants in the greater London area that catered to the European elite, so these judges wouldn't be pulling any punches. The school's top instructor and master chef, Monsieur Jacques-Francois Cordon-Bleu, began his final instructions to the students.

"You veel all be given two hours to prepare zee most magnifique of meals for our esteemed guests. Your menus have all been approved, and all of your requested food and necessary cooking accoutrement have been laid out for you. You may begin at zee buzzer, mon ami, and bonne chance to you all!"

Ron confidently shook the hands of the other two student chefs, Fred and Maurice, and cheerfully declared, "May the best chef win!"

But Maurice's smile looked much more like an evil grin than a pleasant acknowledgement of Ron's well-wishing. The chef pushed the buzzer, and the timer on the wall began its two hour countdown. Ron got right to work.

Rufus hid in a pocket beneath Ron's apron so as not to distract the judges or the small student audience, as small rodents tended to have a negative effect on people during food preparation. But Ron had no such qualms, and sent a self-assured thought to his closest pal. "_This will be a piece of cake, Rufus. Literally!_"

He started by preparing the first course, an hors d'oeuvre consisting of cheese croissants with a dash of paprika added for a little extra zest. But Ron immediately noticed something amiss. "Hey, these aren't the same croissants I prepared earlier!"

Rufus tentatively sniffed at the suspect food, and instantly made his own judgment. He blew a raspberry and gave it a quick thumbs down. Ron immediately checked his other food and discovered to his horror that each of his excellent hand-picked ingredients had been replaced with ones of much lower quality. The final product would still be edible, but definitely wouldn't pass muster with the highly refined taste buds of his adjudicator.

Ron growled under his breath. "Sabotage!"

Rufus gave an angry chitter of agreement as Ron marched up to Chef Cordon-Bleu to complain.

"Uh, Chef, it looks like my food's been switched. Someone may be trying to sabotage my ingredients in order to gain a bon-diggity advantage over me."

But the chef merely shrugged in response. "Eet eez unfortunate, no?" He wagged his finger at the unfortunate Mystical Monkey Master. "But you should have checked your food much earlier zan only five minutes before zee test began, don't you agree? And zee test has already started. I cannot stop eet now."

Ron's shoulders sagged in defeat. He obviously wouldn't be getting any sympathy from his instructor, and worse yet, he might not even pass the course now. This would mean repeating the class, which was a required prerequisite for next year's course load.

His mind began swimming with visions of disaster, beginning with his father discontinuing his stipend for failing college. Kim handing him divorce papers and calling him a loser, and in Bonnie's voice no less. Sitting at a lonely bus stop in the rain just like Ron Rieger, while the strains of Gilbert O'Sullivan's _Alone Again, Naturally_ played sadly in the background.

He grabbed his head with both hands and tried to shake away the nightmarish visions as he growled, "No. I can't give up. It wasn't my fault that someone's just tried to crush my chances at a good grade." He tried to center himself as he took several deep slow breaths, just as he had learned to do the year before during his final training at Yamanouchi. His body began to take on a faintly blue glow as he increased his concentration.

He calmly thought to himself, "_I must use the food available to me, and then find out who switched it. But how to convince the judge of my badical cooking skills?_"

An important fact immediately popped into his mind, and a plan began to coalesce. He recalled one of his food lectures from earlier that year.

"_The part of the brain controlling the sense of smell and that containing memory are very close in proximity. This is why a particular smell can trigger a long forgotten memory, whether it be extremely positive or negative._"

Ron flashed a brief idea to Rufus. "_That's it! I just need to tickle a positive memory in my judge's mind associated with each course I serve!_"

Rufus nodded vigorously in agreement with his closest friend's plan. As Ron confidently prepared his first course, he mentally brushed the mind of his judge for the most positive memory associated with his chosen hors d'oeuvre. He instantly struck pay dirt. Two months before, his judge had shared some similar croissants at a dinner with his soon-to-be fiancée. He had popped the question that evening, to which she had joyfully said yes. By a lucky coincidence, they had set the date for the wedding earlier that very day, just a few hours before Ron's final had begun.

Ron used his mystically enhanced mental abilities to gently bring that memory to the forefront of his judge's consciousness. The critic picked up one of the miniature croissants and popped it into his mouth. Ron waited expectantly for his response, which was soon in coming.

"Ah! C'est magnifique, Monsieur! A most delicious hors d'oeuvre, yes? And top marks for excellent presentation as well!"

Ron breathed a sigh of relief, as he instantly scanned his immediate environs to see if he could catch any stray thought from the food thief who had tried to sabotage him. Ron immediately sensed the emotion of surprise from Maurice, the third student chef and a rather competitive sort by nature. Delicately probing a little deeper, he clearly read the memory of his underhanded classmate. Earlier that afternoon, he had stealthily substituted Ron's ingredients with ones less than standard. Ron also sensed the location of the refrigerator that contained the missing food, and instantly sent a mental request to Rufus.

"_Can you retrieve it, little pal? You know I'll be disqualified if I leave the room before the final is over_."

Rufus gave him a quick nod as he scampered off to rescue Ron's cuisine.

With a snicker, Ron thought to himself, "_Now let's see if I can find out what Maurice's judge _doesn't_ like_..."

He reached out with his mind once again, this time to read the mind of his colleague's judge. This time he sensed a negative thought associated with a similar hors d'oeuvre that the judge was about to be served. Ron brought that memory to the foreground of the critic's mind, that of his now ex-wife slamming down the purposely burnt food in front of him and simultaneously serving him with divorce papers. The critic instantly turned up his nose at Maurice's suddenly offensive morsel, tentatively tasting it before making a disgusted face. He gruffly pronounced his judgment.

"Texture, flavor and presentation all poor. Better luck next course."

Ron smiled inwardly. "_Sorry to rain on your parade, Maurice, but you should have thought about that before cheating._"

In the meantime, Rufus had located the missing food. He proceeded to load up a small cart, but soon realized that the cart was now too heavy for the tiny naked mole rat to move all by himself.

"_Uh-oh_..."

He pondered the problem for a moment before coming up with a solution. Quickly strapping a variable speed hand-held electric blender onto the axle of the cart, he pushed the controls up to 'puree.' The cart slowly began to move, picking up speed as he careened back down the hallway.

Ron had just finished serving the soup course, having deftly brought back the youthful memory of the judge's mom fixing him a delicious bowl of clam chowder while he was home from school and sick in bed. But for his adversary's judge, Ron had brought back the memory of the time a clumsy waiter had dropped a bowl of steaming hot soup into his lap.

"_And that's Ron two, Maurice zero_..."

Ron's cart of food now entered the hall as if by magic, with Rufus secretly guiding it as he carefully hid beneath its linen covering. 'Oohs' and 'aahs' erupted from the small audience of students and staff as it gently glided to a stop before Ron.

Ron smiled with relief. "Now this is _just _what the doctor ordered."

Now enhanced by his Mystical Monkey Power and armed with his first choice of cuisine and ingredients, the next three courses were prepared and delivered with lightning speed. He dazzled his judge with a cold poached halibut with a cucumber-yogurt-mint sauce, a lemon sorbet as the palate cleanser, followed by a spinach salad with toasted almonds and cranberries. The main course was a baked ham with cloves, topped with a honey glaze made from his own secret recipe.

The judge continued to sing Ron's praises, giving him the highest marks possible throughout. This gave Ron a terrific sense of satisfaction, especially as he was no longer encouraging the recollection of past happy memories. Nor was he covertly dredging up any more negative memories for Maurice's judge.

Rufus gave him a curious look as he mentally asked why. Ron smiled as he thought back, "_The playing field's been leveled, little buddy. I want the rest of this competition to clearly show who's really the best cook around here_."

And Ron had really pulled out all the stops. He had become so efficient that his other two competitors had barely started serving their main course, when Ron began serving his dessert. And this was the _pièce de résistance, _his legendary Seven Layers of Heaven chocolate cake, to even more 'oohs' and 'aahs' from the audience.

Ron had been tempted to use his Mystical Monkey Power to melt Maurices's Baked Alaska dessert and cinch the competition, but that plan quickly became moot. All of a sudden, Fred's kitchen appliances started going haywire. The mixer went into overdrive, dancing about on the counter as if it were possessed. The oven's normally blue indicator lights began blinking alternately red and green.

"Ooh, just like the lights on Kim's Christmas tree!"

As the doors on the oven and microwave began noisily opening and closing seemingly on their own, Ron suddenly realized what, or more precisely, _who_ was behind the appliance's bizarre behavior.

"Uh, oh. The hallway leading from the entrance is directly behind Maurices's cooking station, which can only mean..."

The side door opened, and in walked a beautiful young lady with blazing red hair: Ron's wife and co-saver of the world many times over, Kim Possible. Ron ran over to her and quickly escorted her back out the door and into the hall.

"Kim! You know that I'm happy to see you, but I've asked you before to keep as far away from any kitchen appliances as possible! You know how they start acting up when you're around!"

Kim replied with a chagrined look, "Oops! Sorry, Ron. I hope I didn't mess anything up for you."

Ron grinned back, "No, but you did provide a little poetic justice for a classmate who tried to sabotage my final."

Relieved, she replied, "Well then, it looks like I showed up just in time, Ron. Glad I could help."

"Yeah, serendipity can be really serendipitous, Kim. But if you want to see the rest of the competition, why don't you go around and enter the room from the back, and then I can catch up with you right after."

He reentered the hall just as the judges began to confer. But after only a few moments, they all smiled and nodded as Ron's judge stood up to make the final announcement.

"We are pleased to unanimously declare Ron Stoppable as zee winner of zee Adjudication. Not only zat, but his scores are zee highest in this competition's notable history. Congratulations!"

Applause and cheers broke out, as the third judge raised a hand for quiet. "Unfortunately, Maurice has been disqualified as his Baked Alaska melted during that curious appliance malfunction." He gave Maurice a disdainful look. "Next time, I suggest you check your equipment more thoroughly _before_ beginning your meal preparation."

Kim had just stepped into the hall as the announcement was being made. She ran up to Ron to congratulate him. "Way to go, Ron!" She then gave him a cheeky sidelong glance. "And I gotta say, that chef's outfit looks awfully handsome on you." She continued huskily, "But I'd prefer you _out_ of it once we get back to our place..."

Ron blushed brightly at her suggestion as he tried to read his final review. "Uh, well, cloves bake the ham, Kim."

She cocked a curious eyebrow. "Ron, don't you mean 'clothes make the man?' "

Ron wagged his head. "No, the judge says here that the cloves I used definitely put my ham dish right over the top."

Rufus merely hit his head with a tiny paw and mumbled, "_Oh, brother..._"

* * *

As they drove back to their flat on the outskirts of London, Ron confessed how he had had to use his pants as a parachute after his parasail and backup chute failed, followed by his embarrassing moment at the freshman girl's picnic. Kim couldn't help but tsk at what seemed to be an inevitable circumstance for him, but then got serious and began to take him to task for his carelessness.

"Ron, you have _got_ to be more careful. Mystical Monkey Power or not, would you please remember to check your equipment _before _jumping out of the coupe at 5000 feet?"

It was now Ron's turn to be chagrined. "Sorry, Kim. I promise I'll be more careful. But not exactly my fault, okay?"

Kim gently sighed, "Yeah, bad guys and their lasers can ruin your whole day." _Or end your life, _she thought to herself.

She took a deep breath before continuing. "Ron, I love you, and I just don't want to lose you, _especially _over something easily preventable. Maybe I should start making a checklist for you from now on, just to make sure."

Ron whined, "_Again_ with the checklists, KP?"

Kim began to lecture, "Well, you seem to need to seriously need them, Ron. You've become a lot more forgetful and unfocused lately." Her voice softened. "And that worries me. So what's..."

She almost said 'your damage,' but quickly corrected herself. "...the sitch?"

She thought back over the past nine months of their marriage. The first six had been fantastic, but little things had started bothering her lately. And one of them immediately came to mind.

"And would it kill you to pick up your clothes at least once in a while? It would really help if I didn't have to worry about the condition of the place in case we had sudden unexpected guests, which happens pretty frequently in my line of work."

Ron began to bristle. "Oh, so it's all about _you_ now? It really would help if I felt I had a little more support from you, Kim. I do all the cooking for us and most of the errands, which I don't mind at all, by the way. But you? You're always busy being Earth's Ambassador to Lorwardia along with being totally top of your class at the University of London, plus you've got all the powers of Team Go. Me? All I've got are some weird monkey powers along with some badical mind reading skills. I'm... I'm just feeling a little under-appreciated, that's all. Like I'm... like I'm just a househusband, or just your sidekick again, playing second fiddle to the great Kim Possible."

Kim froze. Ron suddenly stopped his rant, wanting to kick himself for running off at the mouth like that. Ron felt the possibility of Kim's earlier romantic suggestion fading like the London fog on a hot summer morning.

"Kim, I'm sorry..."

They continued driving in silence for several minutes. As she pondered his words, Kim began to recall some motherly advice she'd received even before she and Ron had become engaged.

"_Honey, you've always been competitive, sometimes to an extreme degree. Just look at your relationship with Bonnie. And you can be very headstrong, too, young lady. But now, Ron is no longer just a sidekick. He's shown you that he can be your partner. And you seem to be having a little trouble with that, which isn't surprising._"

Kim began to feel a blush rising in her face. She thought to herself, "_Busted._ _How quickly I forget the obvious_..." She let out a long breath and began, "No, Ron. I should be the one who's sorry. I've always been Ms. Type A Super Ambitious, and now with my Team Go powers and diplomatic responsibilities, I, uh, may have allowed myself to get just a little testy over minor things."

She continued with the warmth and sincerity she now truly felt. "And maybe a little impatient at times with my laid-back hubby, who I just happen to love and appreciate very much."

She recalled another thing her mom had counseled her about. "_Be patient, Kimmie. Men's egos can be so fragile sometimes. I have more than one story I could share with you about dating your father, and how we've had spats over our relative careers, so I can relate to how you're feeling. But trust me, Kimmie. Ron is worth it._"

Kim nodded in agreement with the memory of her mom's advice, and started to smile as one sentence repeated in her mind. "_Kim, men's egos can be so fragile sometimes_..."

Ron looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Uh, now you're beginning to scare me, Kim."

She continued to giggle. "Sorry, Ron. I just realized that we've have one heck of a role reversal here. And it only clicked after you said 'househusband.' Between our respective responsibilities, I can see how you'd feel a little, uh..."

"Whipped?"

Kim's face suddenly took on the hue of her crimson hair.

"Uh, hopefully so not whipped." She continued in an apologetic tone, "But maybe _frappéd _occasionally by your headstrong wife_?"_

Now it was Ron's turn to smile, as he folded his hands behind his head. "Ooh, Kim. You know how I like it when you talk _shop_ to me." His grin widened. "And you know what that usually leads to."

She began to grin back. "Yeah, and I don't need your ferocious mind reading skills to know exactly what you're alluding to, Mr. Possible. And you're not going to be wearing that chef's apron much longer after we get home."

Rufus sighed heavily as he thought to himself, "_I can see that it's going to be another long night for me on the living room couch..._"

* * *

The next day, a very contented Kim and Ron boarded a English Airways 767 wide-body jet, a non-stop flight bound for Middleton.

"Kim, I know that we could have taken a GJ Hoverjet if we had waited long enough, but they're stretched pretty thin at the moment. And since money's not a problem, I sure don't mind flying commercial."

"I couldn't agree more, Ron. Now that our finals are all done and we're out for the summer, I'm looking forward to a nice relaxing trip back home."

Kim looked down at their pet mole rat, who had turned out to be much more of a friend than a pet. "And so is poor little Rufus," she added in a cutesy baby voice.

Ron winced. "Yup. Too bad I forgot that the regular airlines don't usually consider poor Rufus a person like we do. Imagine if we had to stick him in a _pet carrier_ for ten whole hours! Oh, the ignominy!"

Rufus folded his little arms and firmly nodded his head with a loud, "_Yeah_!"

Kim chuckled, "Yes, that security agent just about had a heart attack when Rufus popped out of your pocket during your patdown. Good thing that all three of us are pretty well known by sight these days, and that he made an exception for us."

They took their seats in the first class section of the aircraft and settled into their plush accommodations. Takeoff was right on time, and the cheerful flight attendant began the obligatory demonstration of the procedures in case of emergency. However, as soon as she began speaking about using the seat cushion as a flotation device, all the water references caused Ron to regret the copious amount of soda that he'd drunk at the Bueno Nacho back in London's HeathcolumnAirport. His bladder began warning him that he'd need to relieve himself pretty quick.

With a pained expression, he scooted by Kim. "Excuse me, KP, I'll be right back. Really need to use the little boy's room."

A few minutes later he returned smiling to his seat. "Boy, Kim. I'm sure glad we're over water. After all the soda I drank, I'm sure that I must have created one bon-diggity chunk of blue ice when I flushed the loo."

Kim began to look a little green. "Uh, TMI, Ron."

"Huh?"

"Too much information, sweetie," she whispered back.

Ron immediately looked apologetic. "Oops. Sorry, Kim."

As soon as he had he sat back down, the pilot began addressing the passengers over the intercom. In a pleasant British accent he began, "Welcome aboard English Airways Flight 219, non-stop to Middleton, Colorado. We've reached our cruising altitude of 40,000 feet, and our beverage service will begin momentarily. Our flight time today should be approximately nine hours and..."

A terrific electrical crack was heard as the pilot was cut off in mid sentence. An instant later, all of the lights suddenly went off, plunging the cabin into near darkness. Passengers began screaming in fear.

Kim queried, "Ron, you hear that?"

His voice trembling, he croaked, "Yeah! And I agree with them, _we're all about to die_!"

"No, Ron! Not the hysterical passengers, it's the engines. Listen..."

Nothing but the wind whistling by the plane could be heard.

"They've stopped!"

Kim jumped up from her seat and yelled, "Quick, Ron! We've got to get to the cockpit!"

Lighting her plasma, Kim used it like a flashlight to illuminate their path through the dark cabin, as she and Ron quickly made their way to the flight deck of the plane. As soon as she stepped into the cockpit, she expected to hear warning klaxons and see flashing emergency lights, but was met only with the frantic voices of the flight crew desperately trying to restore power.

She announced, "I'm Kim Possible, and this is my husband, Ron Stoppable! What's the sitch?"

By the flickering light of Kim's green plasma, she could tell that the captain's face was etched in fear.

"Kim Possible? Thank goodness! We've just experienced total electrical failure of all systems, including back-ups. But that's virtually impossible due to our triply redundant systems. I can't explain why, but that's what's happened. And unless we can restore our power within the next five minutes, we'll crash headlong into the North Atlantic. That is, if our aircraft doesn't break apart first under all the stress."

Ron quickly asked, "Uh, can't you just glide the plane in for a controlled ditch into the drink?"

The captain sadly wagged his head. "Our controls are fly-by-wire, which means there's no physical linkage to the control surfaces. Without power, we're virtually helpless."

Kim growled, "Not if I can help it. I'll start by checking the batteries and their connections. Can you show me where they're located?"

"Yes, directly below the flight deck. But it's not possible to access them during flight. You couldn't possibly fit in there."

Kim corrected him. "Yeah, maybe for a normal person. But check the name: nothing's impossible for a Possible."

Ron cheerfully added, "Even when she's a Stoppable."

Kim smiled back at him. "Ron, try using your Mystical Monkey Power to adjust the control surfaces of the plane. It's time to put your ferocious video game skills to good use."

"Got it, Kim! Microsloth Flight Simulator ex-ex-ex-ex-eye-vee, here we come!"

Her glow switched from green to violet as she shrunk down small enough to access the battery compartment. She pulled out her Kimmunicator and quickly activated it, praying that her trusty computer geek would pick up.

"Wade, emergency! Our plane has lost all electrical power and if I can't find out the reason, we're all toast in five minutes!"

Wade nearly choked on the soda he'd been slurping. "Whoa, Kim! Nothing like a little crisis to start your day. What kind of plane is it?"

"It's a 767."

"Okay, let me bring up its schematics." His fingers expertly flew across his computer keyboard. "Got it! First check the batteries."

Kim replied, "I'm in the battery compartment now. What do I check first?"

"Leave it to me, Kim."

A small probe appeared from the top of her Kimmunicator and attached it to the main power cable.

"Good news, Kim. The batteries have got power. But it's obviously not getting to where it needs to be. And there's not enough time to check all the connections."

Kim grinned, "Wanna bet?" She immediately began glowing red as she split herself into twenty tiny identical Kims.

"Great, Kim! Now I'll be able to activate the ohm meter function on all your Kimmunicators and check everything out quick."

A few moments later he had his answer. "No problem there either, Kim. Have you checked the fuse box yet?"

"Not yet. Where is it?"

"It's in the crew compartment, directly below the flight engineer's station."

"I'm on it." Swiftly reassimilating herself, she exited the battery compartment and resumed her normal size.

"How're you doing, Ron?"

Ron had activated his Mystical Monkey Power and was now floating within the cabin, his blond hair swirling gently within a field of intensely blue power. "Just gimme a minute, Kim."

He deftly extended his power through the skin of the aircraft, taking care not to accidentally rip through the thin aluminum. Taking hold of the horizontal stabilizer, he carefully extended it to a 45 degree angle. He then proceeded to grasp hold of the ailerons to steady the plane, and lastly added one quarter flaps to slow the plane's descent.

The co-pilot was astounded both by Ron's powers and his skill. "That's simply amazing! Where in the world did you learn to fly like that?"

Ron offhandedly replied, "A video game flight sim, actually. Lucky for us it had a 767 airliner component. And I only crashed it twice before getting the hang of it!"

The co-pilot promptly passed out.

"Okay, Kim. I've stabilized the plane and put it into a glide, but I've only bought us a few more minutes at best. This crate is gonna turn into a brick unless we can get those engines restarted, pronto."

"Keep us up as long as you can then, Ron. The good news is that the batteries are okay, I just have to figure out why the juice isn't getting to the controls."

As she opened the fuse box's access panel her eyes nearly bugged out of her head at what she saw.

Wade couldn't help but laugh. "Well, there's your problem, Kim."

The entire fuse box was filled with sauerkraut, which had shorted out all the connections. She also spotted the tiny can in which the sauerkraut had been supercompressed, and the timer that had triggered it, obviously having been set prior to takeoff.

Kim frowned, "Wade, there's no doubt who's behind this."

"Yup, Kim, it sure looks like the work of Professor Dementor. But that appears to be the _wurst_ of your problems."

"Funny, Wade." Kim quickly began tearing out huge gobs of the wet, pickled cabbage until the panel was finally clear.

"Still a lot of liquid in here, Wade. Any ideas how I can dry it out real quick?"

"No problem, Kim. Pull out your grappling gun."

She swiftly complied. "Okay. Now what?"

"Place the settings on 'high' and 'hot,' then flip the main switch."

2000 watts of heated air began blowing out of the device.

Kim was astounded. "Wade! You mean that my hairdryer really _is_ a hairdryer? Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Wade grinned back, "This _is_ my way of telling you, Kim."

Within 30 seconds, the panel was completely dried out. "Okay, Captain. Try to restart your systems now."

The captain drolly ordered, "All right, men. By the numbers, just like we do during our pre-flight check. And please be quick about it?"

A minute later a cheer went up as the lights came back on. Ron was also relieved. "Good thing, since we're starting to lose altitude real fast."

The flight engineer flipped the engine restart switch, but frowned when nothing happened. "Captain? We still have a problem. The engines refuse to start."

The captain called out, "What's our altitude?"

"31,000 feet and dropping fast, sir. If we can't get those engines restarted within three minutes, we're finished."

The engineer tried again without success as Kim looked out the window. Her heart sank as she observed that both engine intakes were also clogged with sauerkraut, undoubtedly due to several more of Dementor's sauerkraut bombs.

Ron had broken out in a sweat as he desperately strained to keep the plane aloft. "Kim, can't keep... this up... much longer..."

Kim pleaded, "You've got to hold on a little longer, Ron. I've got to get out there and clear those engines first."

The captain scoffed, "But how? We'd risk explosive decompression if you tried to egress the plane at this altitude."

Ron grunted, "What have... egrets got to do with it? They can't... fly this high..."

Kim sighed, "That's _egress_, Ron. Somehow I've got to get out of the plane without opening any doors or windows."

Ron instantly had an idea, and sent Kim a mental image.

Kim's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Ron, you have _got_ to be kidding!"

"_Sorry Kim... it's the only way_..."

Kim let out of huff of exasperation as she raced for the plane's washroom. As soon as she reached it, she flushed the toilet, simultaneously shrinking herself down to only a few inches high. She took a deep breath, pinched her nose, and jumped in.

"This had better work..."

Kim was quickly ejected from the plane. Now glowing blue with her super strength, she dug her fingers into the outer skin of the aircraft to avoid being blown away in the fierce wind. Resuming her normal size, she launched a grapple which wrapped itself around the port wing. She slowly pulled herself forward against the terrific slipstream.

Kim finally reached the first engine. The jet intake was large enough for her to stand in, and she immediately began pulling the huge wads of sauerkraut out of the jet's turbine blades.

But time was running out. The aircraft began shaking as its terminal velocity approached, and once reached, the plane would virtually tear itself apart before it even had a chance to hit the water. Even Ron's Mystical Monkey Power wouldn't be able to prevent that from happening.

Meanwhile, the Captain had sounded the warning klaxon and laconically announced to the passengers, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've lost engine power, but Kim Possible is attempting to clear our engines, and should be finished shortly. Passengers, for your own safety, please assume crash positions..."

Kim quickly finished with the first engine. She puffed breathlessly, "One down and one to go..."

Firing her grapple again, she expertly snagged the opposite engine and slowly pulled herself across. Using her comet-granted ability to judge precise distances, she realized that they were now less than 5000 feet above the North Atlantic, and that she had less than a minute to clear the second engine. Splitting herself into three Kims, she declared, "All right, girls! Let's do this!"

Working furiously to clear the engine, the task was swiftly completed by the trio. She prayed that Ron was mentally eavesdropping and could flag the crew that they could now attempt an engine restart. She wasn't disappointed.

"_I've got your back, Kim_..."

She lovingly thought back, "_And my mind and heart too, Ron_..."

The engines coughed into life, their revolutions creating a pleasing whir informing all aboard that they would soon be out of danger. As Ron powered down his Mystical Monkey Power, the captain pulled back on the wheel and regained control of the aircraft. Kim and Ron had done it once again.

Now at an altitude where explosive decompression wasn't an issue, Kim was able to shrink herself down small enough to squeeze through the side window of the cockpit, to the relief of the grateful crew, and especially Ron.

He pumped his arm in victory. "Way to go, KP!"

She smiled back at her husband. "Not so bad yourself, Monkey Boy. But now we have another problem."

Ron sneered back, "Yeah. Dementor."

Kim continued, "Yup. There's only one daily flight that flies nonstop from London to Middleton, so the Professor must have discovered we'd be on board, and he specifically targeted us. But this is a whole new ballgame for him: for the first time, he's put innocent civilians in mortal danger while trying to get at us."

Ron scratched his chin. "Well, he _did_ kinda threaten Bonnie when you two were stuck together with his bond-o-ball."

Kim snickered, "Yeah, but Bonnie's hardly _innocent_, wouldn't you say?"

Ron grinned back, "You're absolutely right, KP. But I do have to give Dementor credit for ingenuity. With no actual explosives, airport screeners couldn't detect the devices. And once the plane hit the water, the sauerkraut would have begun dissolving. By the time the wreckage if any was found, there wouldn't be any trace of what caused the crash."

Kim grimaced at the thought. "So we'd be toast, and he'd be off scot-free. Well, it looks like our top priority this summer is to bust Dementor, once and for all."

"Yeah, Kim, but can't that wait at least until after Middleton's mayor gives us the key to the city tomorrow? Now that Middleton's been completely rebuilt after the last Lorwardian attack, the whole city's gonna be there. He's even agreed to perform the ceremony at Bueno Nacho, ah booyah!"

A smile reappeared on Kim's face. "Sure thing, Ron. We'll do our duty for Middleton, then we'll start hunting for Dementor."

Another thought passed through the redhead's mind. "Oh, and by the way, did either you or Rufus have anything to do with convincing the mayor to hold the ceremony at Bueno Nacho? Maybe a little mystical post-hypnotic suggestion, perhaps?"

Ron and Rufus merely grinned like two Cheshire cats.

"Hmm. Thought so..."

**_TBC..._**


	4. Dementor's Demise

_Merci beaucoup to Eddy13, Sentinel103, CajunBear73, Katsumara, readerjunkie, Reader101w, Bookworm Gal, Tito-Mosquito and LTAOZFAN for reviewing the last chapter, and the nearly 1000 other visitors to my stories last month. I'm amazed and humbled. So now let's see what trouble Dementor is going to get into, or out of. Or not..._

* * *

Dementor's Demise

The black-helmeted supervillain slammed the evening edition of the Bavarian _Tageszeitungweltesbuchblatter_ down on the table. "Ach! I cannot BELIEVE zat Kim Possible and her dummkopf husband were able to escape their doom und defeat my _BRILLIANT PLAN!_ Und once zat plane was kaput, there would have been _no clues _tying me to zee crime!"

He gave a half-hearted shrug as he continued, "But vat are you going to do? Zey both live a charmed life, und it's tough to fight against zat. Oh, vell. Back to zee drawing board."

With so much derelict Lorwardian technology still floating around and up for grabs, the black market had been quite lucrative for Professor Dementor over the past year. But as of late, Kim Possible and Global Justice had both been making some serious inroads into his nefarious business practices.

"So I need to find another foolproof way to deal with both her and her sidekick husband with the mad cooking skills, once and for all. And once I'm done with zem, _both of their gooses will be cooked!_ _HA-HA-HA-HAH!_"

He smiled smugly to himself. "Vell, zat was a pretty good joke if I do say so myself."

He gazed longingly over at the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer gathering dust on the shelf. He had gotten it on loan from Jack Hench the year before, ostensibly to use against the Lorwardians. Unfortunately, when he had tried to use it, he had taken out half of Switzerland.

He winced at the memory. "Ja, zat was unfortunate. I have nothing against zee Swiss, but vat can a mad scientist do ven given a new toy to play with by HenchCo? HA-HA-HA! At least I have now cornered zee market on secret bank accounts, chocolate bars und cuckoo clocks..."

A later attempt to combine one of his superlasers with the PDVI had only resulted in the destruction of his timeshare lair, along with serious injuries to most of his henchman.

He recalled the event in frustration. "Ja, und then they unionized and _demanded _100% MEDICAL COVERAGE! Which seriously cut into my R&D budget..."

He thought deeply for several moments as his evil mind cogitated over several possibilities, especially ones that would avoid taking out the _other_ half of Switzerland. He drummed his fingers on the table as he stared at the device.

"Ach, you are so small, yet so powerful. If I could only find a vay to focus und control you, I'd be king of ZEE ENTIRE VERLD!"

He added malevolently, "And maybe even take out Kim Possible as well..."

He removed it from the shelf and turned it over in his hands. "Let's see. Focus und control... focus und control..."

He snapped his fingers. "But of course! One of my henchman has just obtained a complete und undamaged plasma targeting system from one of zee Lorwardian battle pods. Perhaps it can be modified to use zee PDVI."

The Professor quickly sketched out a technical diagram. "Ja, it just might verk."

He punched the intercom. "Myron! Grab zat new targeting system und get up here! NOW!"

His sycophantic henchman was more than happy to do his master's bidding, and appeared as fast as he could. "Hey there, BIL!"

Dementor buried his head in his hands. "I _do _vish you vould stop calling me zat, Myron. I know you married my sister Hildegaard which makes me your brother-in-law, _but your informal name for me_ _does _**_not_**_ accord to me_ ZEE INCREDIBLE RESPECT _ZAT I DEMAND!_"

He pounded his fist on the table to underscore his annoyance. "Bring zat thingy over here. I vant to see if its microcircuits are compatible with the PDVI."

Myron gave him a perplexed look. "The TV P.I.? Which one? Magnum P.I.? Honey West? Dirk Gently?"

Dementor yelled, "NEIN! Not a TV PI! _Pea-Dee-Vee-Eye! _Anyway, Dirk Gently wasn't even a TV character, he was in some kind of crazy book..." With a roll of his eyes he continued, "And you are seriously dating yourself with zee naming of those old TV shows, Myron."

He began looking over the complicated equipment. The alien device looked like a combination between an anti-aircraft battery and a mobile radar unit, and the evil Professor began checking its exotic circuitry. "Let's see... zee amperage und voltage seems to be within the necessary parameters, und zee timing and frequency of its computer processor und memory chips also appears quite compatible..."

Within a few minutes, he had everything hooked up. He carefully finished testing the final connections, not wanting to risk any accidental overloads or short circuits, unlike the haphazard ways of a certain blue-skinned ex-villain.

He sneered, "Hmmph. I have always been zee cautious one with my devices of doom, unlike Drakken. But who gets to command _zee most powerful military forces_ IN ZEE ENTIRE GALAXY?"

Dementor sighed in frustration. "But at least I'm still foot-schtepping und fancy-freeing. Und if this thing verks, I vill quickly turn around my recent setbacks! Today, Bavaria, tommorow, _DER VERLD! HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!_"

He calmly continued, "First I'll try it on its lowest setting."

Focusing the targeting reticule on a chair across the room, he pushed the firing button. A thin green beam of brightly glowing plasma erupted from the weapon. But instead of an explosion, a small circle of shimmering light appeared directly in front of the chair. It appeared to stretch as it was pulled into the hole, disappearing with a rather loud pop. Professor Dementor's wide smile exuded from beneath his dark helmet.

"Excellent! Und it appears zat zee plasma's aperture can be adjusted, unlike zee laser I tried before. Now let's see how well it does on _an entire building!_"

He turned to his henchman. "Myron! Make with zee opening of my lair's front door!"

Myron hastened to fulfill his master's command as Dementor increased both the aperture size and the strength of the beam. He carefully aimed the PDVI through the open door at an abandoned building across the street. With another punch of the firing button, a larger and even more intense beam of energy shot out from the device. Once again, a circle of shimmering light materialized before the building, much larger than before. The huge structure began to stretch, tortured metal and concrete groaning under the terrific strain. And with a much deeper and louder pop, the entire building disappeared into the hole. Dementor laughed maniacally at his success.

"Yes, Myron! Even mit Kim Possible's spring-schtepping supersuit und incredible powers, not even _they_ will be able to withstand zee irresistible pull of the PDVI! Success is guaranteed! Now if I can just figure out a way _to lure her here_ _TO HER ULTIMATE DOOM!_"

Suddenly, his automatic television scanner stopped on the Middleton late afternoon news. A young news anchor began her report.

"Good evening, this is Tricia Lipowski with the 5 o'clock news. Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable single-handedly saved an English Airways 767 from certain disaster today, after it totally lost power en route to Middleton. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported, and the cause is currently under investigation. The timing is suspicious however as this occurred on the eve of a ceremony to honor both of the heroes, where the mayor of Middleton will commemorate the completion of Middleton's rebuilding by awarding them with the key to the city. The festivities will be held at the local Bueno Nacho starting at noon tomorrow. And in other local news…"

Dementor switched of the computer screen and turned to Myron, rubbing his hands together in glee. He let out a huge belly laugh, bigger than any Myron could recall.

"Zis vill be PERFECT! Vee now know _exactly_ where Kim Possible und Ron Schtoppable will be, und when! Und mit zee Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer, I vill take care of zem both once and for all! _Ha-Ha-Ha-Hah!_ And zat goes for their little naked mole rat too..."

He clicked on the lair's intercom. "Henchman 109, report to me at once!"

Myron however sadly wagged his head. "Sorry, BIL, but he was captured yesterday by Kim Possible."

"Hmm. Zen call Henchman 229."

"Uh, captured last week by Global Justice."

"Henchman 262?"

"Recovering from injuries with a fight with Kim Possible."

"How about 335?"

"On long term disability. See previous."

Dementor huffed, "Zen is there no one left_ to assist me in my plans for WORLD CONQUEST UND REVENGE!_?"

Myron smiled hopefully, "Yeah, it looks like it's just you and me, _BIL_."

Dementor sighed deeply as he realized that he had finally run out of options.

"Very well, Myron. I officially promote you from temporary acting assistant henchman to full Henchman status."

Myron clapped his hands together in joy. "Ooh, that's wonderful, BIL! Hildegaard will be so proud of me when I tell her!"

He dismissively waved a gloved hand. "Yes, yes, of course. But _only _if you vill stop calling me mit zis BIL name _or else I vill perform my next PDVI test ON YOUR HEAD!_"

With a look of fright, Myron quickly nodded.

"You and I vill travel to Middleton immediately und set up zee PDVI cannon. There is a grassy knoll on the high ground overlooking zat Mexican fast food establishment where zee ceremony vill be held. Not only are there plenty of bushes for cover, but there is a cell phone tower there as vell, so zee PDVI vill blend in mit all zee other electrical schtuff."

He raised both arms in the air in triumph. "Und ven zee key to zee city to her is handed, _it vill be zee key_ TO HER DOOM! _HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!_ Und zen maybe I can convince zat place to start offering bratwurst und wienerschnitzel, or at least those tiny cocktail wieners I like zo much..."

* * *

The next day dawned clear and bright over Middleton. Kim and Ron had arrived home very late the preceding night and ended up sleeping in Kim's old room. Ron had confessed to feeling a little odd about that, even though they had been married for quite a few months now.

"Ron, just chill out. You know we were each other's first, and we even waited until our wedding night." _As hard as it was to resist at times... _

"Yeah, I know, Kim. It's just all those _other _times in here that we kinda..."

"Pushed the envelope?" Kim giggled. "Yeah, I know. But we didn't. So relax."

"Yeah, you're right. But it's a good thing your dad never caught us. I still have nightmares about black holes..."

Kim nodded. "Yeah, me too. Especially _real_ ones, after that Naco of Doom imploded and nearly sucked the entire Lorwardian star system into it. But that's all in the past now."

She thought to herself,_ "And I hope that's where they'll stay..."_

They quickly dressed and went downstairs as the delicious smell of pancakes wafted through the house.

Anne Possible's cheerful voice greeted them. "Good morning, you two! Breakfast is almost ready."

"And welcome home," added James Possible, as he looked up from his morning paper, which had the full story of their exploits from the day before. "Looks like you two have been prrrrretty busy."

Ron's eyebrows shot up as he began to blush. "Uh, I can explain that, sir. Now that Kim and I are married..."

A swift kick from Kim from beneath the table cut Ron off mid-sentence.

"Ow!" Ron yelped, as he suddenly realized what Mr. Dr. P actually was referring to. "Oh, yeah! The way that Dementor sabotaged our plane, yeah, that was really sick and wrong! But Kim and I came through in the clinch..."

Ron's blush increased. "I mean, we were a perfect fit for each other."

James' eyebrows shot up as Anne desperately tried to keep from laughing.

"Uh, _heh-heh_, that is, our unique _talents and abilities_ were a perfect fit for each other! _Talents and abilities!" _

Kim slyly whispered, "You can stop digging your hole any deeper anytime you want, Ron."

James continued to give Ron a sidelong glance. "Soooo. How'd you both do on your finals?"

Kim gushed, "Just spankin', Dad. We both aced all our tests, and I'm happy to report that we're both right at the very top of our classes."

Ron chimed in, "But now we're both looking forward to a nice relaxing summer vacation. Right after we capture Professor Dementor, that is."

James nodded. "Yes, the paper here says that he's the one suspected of being responsible for your little plane mishap. Just be careful, you two. It's great that most of your other former arch-enemies have either reformed or are in jail, but he's one tough cookie."

Ron smirked, "Yeah, but when we bake him at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, he'll be ready to serve... from 20 years to life!"

James quipped back, "Well, that sure sounds like a _recipe_ for his ultimate demise!"

Kim groaned at the rapid-fire puns, but was thankful that Ron's accidental innuendos now seemed forgotten. "And how are things going at the lab, Dad? Your last email sounded real hopeful."

James beamed with pride. "Yes, indeed! We've finally mastered the scientific and engineering skills to create our own singularity drives, based on the Lorwardian model. Up until now we've had to depend on them to provide us with spacecraft and technology, per the Earth/Lorwardian Accords. But now we'll be able to produce our own, and we'll no longer be dependent on the Lorwardians to provide us with faster-than-light stardrives. And I'm proud to inform you that we've nicknamed it... the Kimpossibility drive!"

Kim blushed at the honor as Ron gushed, "Booyah! That's totally badical, Mr. Dr. P!"

James continued, "Not only that, but we've also designed our own spaceship around it. It's a multi-purpose craft with an emphasis on transport and exploration, with accommodations for up to twenty people to travel in comfort for months at a time."

Kim gave her dad a sly look. "And let me guess what you've named it. The Kepler IV, perhaps?"

Her father chuckled as he replied, "I can see that I raised one smart daughter. Yes, and it's on the verge of completion and will be ready for flight testing within just a few weeks."

Just then, Jim entered the kitchen, followed by his brother Tim. "Hey, pancakes! Hoosha!"

Anne warned, "Now hold on, you two. The first batch is for Kim and Ron, since they have to leave for their ceremony in a few minutes."

Rufus gave a plaintive little "_Ohhh_..."

Anne smiled. "Don't worry, that includes you too, Rufus."

She placed a pancake hot off the griddle in front of the tiny mole rat, who instantly perked up and plunged ravenously into the syrup-drenched flapjack. Within three seconds, the entire meal had disappeared. Rufus let out a tiny self satisfied burp.

Ron laughed, "Whoa, Rufus! That's a record even for you!"

Jim asked eagerly, "So when do we get to see the Kepler IV, Dad?"

James frowned, "Hmm. Probably when you both reach _retirement_ age, after the way you stowed away on the last Kepler."

"Aw, Dad..." Jim whined.

"Now, now. You're lucky I didn't ground you both for life after your little prank last year. Even if it _did_ result in the destruction of that Lorwardian Death Naco."

This time it was Anne's turn to smile. "Well, it looks like saving the world has begun to run in the family, dear, so don't be _too _harsh on the boys."

James had to admit she was right. "Well, dear, when you put it that way..."

The twins looked up hopefully as James considered their request. "Maybe after Kim and Ron's ceremony today, _and_ if you both remain on your best behavior. But no promises."

The Tweebs both gushed, "Gee, thanks, Dad!"

Kim cocked an eyebrow. "_Best_ behavior, Dad? Theirs, or what the rest of the world would actually consider good?"

Ron snickered, "Good call, KP."

Kim shrugged as she pushed herself away from the table. "Well, let's let them figure that one out. But we gotta run or else _we're_ the ones who're going to be in trouble..."

* * *

A huge crowd had assembled outside of Bueno Nacho, eagerly anticipating the award ceremony for Kim and Ron. With such a big turnout, the restaurant had been temporarily closed for safety and traffic reasons, but would reopen as soon as the proceedings were over. As the noon hour approached, the mayor slowly ascended the colorfully bedecked rostrum, followed immediately by Kim and Ron.

"Well, Kim, I wonder what doors the key to the city will open for us?"

Kim replied, "It's just a symbolic key, Ron. It won't really open anything."

Ron shrugged. "Too bad. I was hoping it 'd be some kind of badical universal key, that would even open Bueno Nacho after hours in case I wanted some midnight snackage!"

"Dream on, Ron..."

The mayor began his speech. "We are here today to celebrate the final rebuilding of Middleton after the terrible Lorwardian attack of nine months ago. There are many people who have contributed either their time, money or talents to achieve this incredible feat, but none can outmatch the contributions of Kim Possible and Ron Stuffable."

Ron winced as he quickly whispered to the mayor. "That's _Stoppable_..."

The mayor quickly corrected himself. "Uh, Ron _Stoppable!_"

He whispered a quick apology to Ron, who merely offered a tiny shrug in return. "No big. I'm actually kinda used to it by now..."

But on a grassy knoll overlooking the proceedings, a supervillain and his last henchman were hidden in the underbrush.

"This is so exciting, BIL! My first real evil mission as a full-fledged henchman!"

Dementor growled back, "Und it vill be your _last_ if you don't keep your voice down, Myron!"

As the mayor droned on, the mad scientist made a few final adjustments to his Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer, and lined up Kim and Ron in its sights. But even though they were hidden from the sight of anyone on the platform, Jim and Tim spotted the two evildoers from the very rear of the crowd, having just arrived for the ceremony.

Jim nudged his brother and pointed toward the knoll. "Hey, isn't that the evil professor that Kim's been trying to bust for so long?"

Tim nodded. "Uh-huh. And what's that thing he's got with him?"

"Hicka-bicka evil weapon of some kind?"

"_Hoosha!_ We gotta warn Kim and Ron!"

Jim jumped up and down and waved frantically at Kim, but his attempt was lost within the swell of the huge crowd of well wishers who were likewise yelling and waving.

Jim breathlessly shouted at Tim, "Do anything you can to distract that bad guy! I'm gonna try to get to Kim!"

As Jim tried to push his way through the crowd, Tim desperately looked around for anything he could use for a weapon.

"Man, if Dad had only let me bring my voice-activated matter transporter school science project with me, I could have used it to drop a nice big rock right on that villain's head."

His eyes were suddenly drawn to the roof of a car loaded with camping gear and fastened down with several bungee cords. Struck with an idea, he detached the cords and reattached them between two cars. Then he grabbed a large stone from out of a nearby planter.

"If David could take down Goliath with a rock, I can take down Dementor with one. No one picks on _my sister!_"

He first estimated the rock's weight, then the distance between him and the supervillain. He pulled out his pocket calculator and made a few quick computations to determine the ideal firing angle.

"Okay, in order to calculate the correct angle, the drag equation has to be determined by the lift coefficient of the rock, adjusted for current temperature and humidity, and the pull in foot pounds of the bungee cord."

He let out a huff of frustration. "None of which I know for sure, so I'll just have to take my best guess."

Quickly placing the rock in the middle of the bungee cords, he pulled back on them and made his final adjustment.

Tim fired his makeshift slingshot just as Dementor punched the firing button.

The evil professor cackled with glee as a scintillating ring of energy began to form directly behind Kim and Ron. "In just a few seconds, zee verld vill say _goodbye to Kim Possible und Ron Schtoppable!_"

But Tim's aim was true, and a moment later the rock hit Dementor full force directly on top of his helmet. With a terrific clang, the helmet was forced down over his eyes, completely throwing off his aim. Tim's attack also caused the villain to jostle the PDVI, which was no longer aimed at Kim and Ron, but at the Bueno Nacho restaurant directly behind them. With a terrific _fwoomp_, the entire fast food restaurant was sucked into the roiling green vortex. And as the vortex closed, a wayward strand of plasma lanced out, disintegrating Ron's unfortunate pants within its tendrils.

Ron looked down at his now fully exposed Wonder Weasel boxers and yelled, "_Oh! Oh!_ This is SO sick and wrong! Does the _entire universe_ have it out for me, or what? And now Bueno Nacho's been wrecked _again?_"

He lifted his hands to the sky in tearful supplication and cried out, "_Why?_ _When will this horror ever end?_"

But Kim's immediate concern was over any possible physical injury to her husband. "Yeah, but are _you _okay, Ron? No burns or other injuries?"

He quickly checked himself over. "Nah, I'm fine, Kim." He suddenly gasped, "But where's Rufus?"

The naked mole rat immediately crawled out from beneath Ron's shirt, scared but thankfully still alive and uninjured. He offered a tiny smile and a cheerful "_I'm oookaaayy!_"

But the same tendril of plasma had caught the Bueno Nacho sign in the parking lot, melting its steel support post. The crowd had begun running away in panic, so thankfully no one was near the sign as it fell, although one car was crushed by the huge plastic taco. Its owner sadly walked up to his freshly wrecked vehicle and began to sob. Ron put his arm around the unfortunate gentleman to console him.

"Gee, I'm sorry, Mr. Barkin. I guess both my pants and all of your cars must be in a special place in heaven by now..."

Kim immediately began scanning the immediate surroundings to determine exactly where the beam of light had come from. Just then, Jim came breathlessly running up. "Kim! It's that Dementor guy! He has some kind of weapon up on that grassy knoll!"

He pointed into the distance at the now unconscious forms of Professor Dementor and his henchman.

"Quick, Ron!" She wasted no time in dashing toward the villains on the knoll.

Ron quickly followed as he wagged his head in wonder. "Why do villains always have to shoot at people from grassy knolls? Why can't they do it from hillocks or ridges?"

Kim rushed up and furiously grabbed Dementor and Myron, lifting them both up into the air. Now glowing bright blue with super strength, she growled, "Okay, you two! Your little game is over, once and for all this time!"

Dementor started to come to. "Vat... vat has happened?"

With a sinking feeling, he stared right into the teen superhero's eyes. "Kim Possible? Ach, not again... I vas firing zee Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer ven suddenly everything went black." He turned his head toward his henchman and yelled, "Myron! _Vat did you do?_"

Myron rubbed his head where the rock had hit him. "I don't know, BIL. You were firing the PDVI when suddenly I got hit on the head with something."

Kim then triumphantly announced, "Well, no matter what he did or didn't do, Professor, the next stop for _both_ of you is Cell Block D. And this time the 'D' stands for Dementor!"

With a sigh of resignation, the evil professor looked down at the spot where the PDVI had just been. But it was gone. An indentation could be seen in the ground where the device had been just moments before.

Tim came rushing up. "Wow, I didn't think I got _both_ of them with that rock. Lucky shot, I guess. Hicka-bicka-boo!"

Jim chimed in with a congratulatory "Hoo-sha!"

But Kim was still troubled as she spotted not one, but two rocks on the ground, and dents in each of the villain's helmets where each rock had hit. "This isn't adding up, Ron. It looks like two separate rocks hit our evildoers here, not just the one Tim launched. And where could the PDVI have gone? It can't have just gotten up and walked away."

Ron scratched his head. "Uh, maybe it just vaporized?"

"I don't think so. Look." She pointed at several deep gouges in the soft earth indicating that the PDVI had just been dragged away somewhere.

Kim quickly looked around, but didn't spot anyone or anything suspicious. She let out a low sigh of frustration. "Well, at least we finally got the bad guys. But I have a feeling there may be a new player in town..."

* * *

The Horizon Wireless van slowly made its way through the streets of Middleton. The apparently human driver smiled to himself, pleased that the truck had blended in so easily with its surroundings. Nobody had paid any attention to it when it was parked next to the Horizon cell phone tower atop that grassy knoll overlooking Bueno Nacho. And now the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer was safely secured in the back of his van, with no one the wiser.

Grallx chuckled to himself. "Too bad Dementor couldn't have taken out those two first. That would have made WarRaptor's job a lot easier in the long run. But my payment isn't going to be based on what happens with them, only on delivering the specified equipment to WarRaptor. So that's one secret weapon down, and one to go..."

He continued to smile as he made his way to his next destination.

**_TBC..._**


	5. Disturbing Vision

_Konnichiwa to everyone out there in the Kimmunity at large, and arigatou gozaimasu_ _especially to Bookworm Gal, Eddy13, Sentinel103, CajunBear73, readerjunkie, Reader101w, Katsumara, AlphaSeymour and LTAOZFAN for their kind reviews. So how are things going with our favorite Ninja Girl? Read on and find out._

* * *

Disturbing Vision

As the newest headmaster of Yamanouchi watched the events unfold at Middleton's Bueno Nacho, she grinned with a Mona Lisa smile. "Ah, Stoppable-sama's American-style clothing malfunctions never cease to bring smile to my humble lips. Yet, there must be curious powers at work to cause such consistent loss of his lower garments. Perhaps the universe indeed has a wicked sense of humor, Hirotaka?"

Yori's smile widened as she turned to her indispensable right hand man at the secret ninja school of Yamanouchi. And as of only the month before, her betrothed as well.

"Indeed, Yori. Only a universe with a sense of humor would bring together two such opposite personalities, and yet so deeply depend on them both for its continued existence."

Yori replied with a barely perceptible rise of one eyebrow. "And do you refer to Kim-chan and Ron-san, or would you be referring to us, perhaps?"

"Perhaps both, Yori-chan." He smiled back at her with his trademark warmth and charm. "But do not forget that you have finally tamed the tiger within me, and won both my eternal love and respect."

Yori laughed lightly. "Ah, Hiro. I'm sure you say that to all the geishas."

"No, only Number One Geisha... uh, that is to say, Number One Betrothed..."

She slyly pounced on his faux pas. "Ah, then there are others?"

Hirotaka's face reddened slightly. "My past you are well aware of, Yori-chan." He tried to allay her mischievous barb with a dismissive wave. "But such trifles must one day be finally put away."

"As long as they were merely trifles, Hiro-san, then I need not fear for the future." Hirotaka visibly relaxed. "And as long as the past remains there and does not make reappearance in present."

Hirotaka tensed slightly as the fleeting glimpse of another female passed through his mind. Within her own adept mind, Yori caught the brief vision and frowned slightly.

"Especially the one called... Bon-Bon."

His deepening blush again brought a smile to her face. "But as long as I can read you as well as I can at this moment, I shall be content."

She graced him with a warm smile and a kiss on the cheek. "Good night, my Hiro. Pleasant dreams."

The handsome young ninja bowed slightly, grinning back with his unique half smile. A lock of his black hair fell down over one eye in just the way that Yori had grown so fond of. She nodded her own head in return, and left for her own quarters.

Night was falling, and a beautiful full moon was rising. She was reminded of her feelings of exactly a year ago when a similar moon had risen. At that time she had been wistfully pining over her deeply buried feelings for Ron, but now was truly grateful over what had ultimately transpired. Kim and Ron were now happily married, the Earth was safe once again from any alien incursions, and at long last, she was finally experiencing Hirotaka's love and total commitment to her. And to top it off, she was now the headmaster of Yamanouchi, its youngest ever and its first female throughout its long history. With a deep sense of contentment, Yori breathed in deeply and enjoyed the scent of the cherry blossoms which covered the grounds of Yamanouchi around her like a pink blanket of snow.

But her present feelings of happiness were once again tempered by a lonely wistfulness. She soon realized where the source of her new melancholy lay, as she thought back on her close relationship with Sensei, who had passed away the year before.

"How I miss you, Sensei. There will always be a special place in my heart for you, and I will forever honor your memory. You taught me that to truly live for my friends is much better than to merely die for them, and is often the greater challenge. And thus I will live for them all, as well as for you."

But just as she reached her modest quarters, she began to feel dizzy. She reached out to a post to steady herself, but it rippled before her eyes, and her hand seemed to pass right through it. The entire landscape then began to waver and change dramatically. She gasped as she gazed at Yamanouchi's Great Hall, which now lay in shattered ruins. The entire grounds about her were likewise desolate, denuded of any life, plant or otherwise. The stench of death hung in the air.

Large craters pockmarked the ground, as if someone had tossed about huge boulders as easily as a child would toss a ball. But these were no mere children's toys, and that child would have had to be a giant. She thought for a moment that an artillery attack had occurred, but the gaping holes in the ground looked more like the craters on the moon than anything else. She then looked up at the sky, gasping in horror at what she saw. Instead of the beautifully glowing full moon she had observed just moments before, an ugly fractured orb hung in space. Smaller pieces of it floated dimly within a field of glowing dust and debris, as if some gigantic hand had smashed Earth's only satellite as if it were a huge piñata_._

At that moment, a noxious cloud passed over her. The young ninja began choking on the rank and nearly unbreathable air. She fell to the ground on all fours, coughing violently. She felt herself passing out, but a moment later the scenery shimmered again and resumed its usual form, as if nothing had happened.

Shaking uncontrollably from the fearful experience, Yori unsteadily got to her feet. As she did so, she felt a presence brush her mind. It seemed familiar, but it also seemed to originate from incredibly far away: not just in physical distance, but in dimensional distance as well, as if its origin somehow transcended even the bounds of space and time.

She whispered into the darkness. "Sensei?"

But there was no reply.

Then, as if it were only the whispering of the gentle breeze, she thought she heard a barely perceptible voice.

"_Help Stoppable-san..._"

Then once again, nothing.

She stood rock still, calming herself as she concentrated intensely, hoping for at least another word if not a glimpse of the mysterious messenger who was trying to reach her across such a vast distance. The seconds passed by as if they were minutes and the minutes as if they were hours, as she strained for any sign, however slight. Finally terminating her attempt, her lithe body had become drenched with the sweat of her efforts. She took a few deep breaths of the now pure, fresh air to clear her mind before rushing back toward the main hall. She nearly ran into Hirotaka just as he was leaving the building.

"Yori! What is it? You look like you've just seen a spirit. And not a very pleasant one."

Yori's brow furrowed as she blurted out, "Hirotaka, something has happened. I need you to come back to my room immediately."

She turned on her heels and marched back to her room with Hirotaka in tow. He knew her well enough to know that she would brook no discussion until they arrived, and any questions would have to wait. As soon as they entered her domicile, she closed the sliding screen and quickly drank a long draught of water. He suspected what that might be leading to, but still waited patiently for her to begin.

"Hiro-san, I have just had terrible vision of massive destruction, not only of Yamanouchi, but perhaps the entire planet. I do not know exactly what it portends, but I fear the worst."

She took in a ragged breath. "I also sensed a presence urging me to help Ron-san. I believe it was... Sensei."

Hirotaka's eyes widened in surprise at the revelation, but said nothing, waiting for her to finish.

"I need to visit the Astral Plane as soon as possible and see what can be discovered there."

His guess had been correct. She was preparing for a spiritual journey of some length, and her body would need the extra water in order to sustain her as she embarked on her quest. His usual devil-may-care attitude had all but disappeared, deep concern now etching his face.

"Then I am coming with you."

Yori emphatically shook her head side to side. "No. This may take some time, perhaps even as long as a week or more, so I will need you to cover for me here. Please look in on me periodically to insure my physical body's safety and well being. I do not have the endurance that Sensei once had, but I trust that my body will last long enough to gain the answers that I seek."

She shivered at the memory of her vision as she pulled him into a tight embrace. "I dare not wait to begin. Watch over me and Yamanouchi while I am absent, Hiro-san."

Bowing to her determination, he responded with his innate half-smile and confidently replied, "_Gokouun o inorimasu,_ Yori-chan. As Stoppable-san would say, I've got your back."

She returned his warm smile with one of her own, finally closing her eyes as she began to intensely concentrate. Soon deep within a mystical trance, she gently separated her spirit from her physical body and entered the Astral Plane.

* * *

Once Global Justice had taken both Dementor and Myron into custody, Ron left hastily in order to procure a new pair of trousers. In the meantime, Kim proceeded to her local diplomatic office located in downtown Middleton. It was one of only three facilities on Earth that had a direct link to Lorwardia, the other two being located at the U.N. in New York, and in London close to her university. The interstellar televisor worked on principles still not fully understood even by Earth's top scientists, but Kim was just happy that it worked at all. And instantaneously at that, even though Lorwardia was over 400 light years distant.

She had always made every effort to stay in contact with her cousin and diplomatic counterpart on Lorwardia, but between that sabotaged plane and her nearly fatal encounter with Dementor's Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer, she had been out of touch over the past several days. And even though their relationship had changed from adversary to friend once she had switched back to being one of the good guys, Shego could still get pretty bent out of shape when she felt that Kim wasn't keeping her in the diplomatic loop.

Kim walked into the small office and greeted her executive secretary, Hope Wong, formally of the MiddletonHigh School cheer squad. "Hey there, Hope. Any urgent messages from Lorwardia?"

Kim's efficient liaison looked a little frazzled, but still replied politely. "Yes, Kim. Shego's been trying to contact you for several days, and I told her I'd have you get back to her just as soon as possible."

"Thanks, Hope. I'll give her a buzz right now."

The televisor took only a few moments to warm up, and Shego's holographic 3-D image appeared almost immediately.

"Well, it's about flippin' time, Kimmie. I was afraid you'd decided to go on vacation without telling your favorite cousin."

Kim grinned back, "You know that I'd have my secretary do my dirty work for me if I had, _Princess_."

Kim enjoyed calling her that not only to make up for all the times Shego had referred to her by that sarcastic pet name, but also because Shego was now indeed a Princess of Lorwardia, and just one step in rank below Empress Warmonga.

Shego absentmindedly filed her claws as she asked, "So what's new on Earth, Kimberly Ann?"

Kim quickly recounted her adventures over the past few days.

"Whoa, Kimmie. So _that's_ why I haven't heard anything from you. Well, I gotta say, I'm glad to hear that Dementor finally got his just desserts, but whatever happened to the PDVI?"

"That's the million dollar question, Shego. We just don't know."

Shego's face paled beyond even its usual light green hue. "Well _that _just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Not! I never liked that thing, by the way. Between getting sucked into all of those TV shows not just once, but twice, I'd just as soon blast that damn thing into dust."

"I couldn't agree more, Shego. But GJ has made its recovery a high priority, so let's hope for the best. In the meantime, what's new on your world? Have you and Dr. D taken over the planet yet?"

Shego smiled back with her typically evil grin. "We're working on it, Cupcake."

Kim still wondered if she should take Shego seriously when she made a comment like that.

"And speaking of snack foods, Hank's Intergalactic Cupcakes has finally gone public." Shego took the opportunity to gloat a little. "And our IPO was an outstanding success, if you hadn't heard."

"Oh, we've heard, Shego. Ron even tried to buy a controlling interest, but it looks like you and Drew still hold all the cards regarding that issue."

Shego's eyes widened in surprise. "The Ronster's investing in _us_ now? What, all those Bueno Nacho bonus checks for inventing the Naco not good enough for him anymore?"

Kim laughed. "No, he's just, uh, _diversifying_, that's all. And speaking of the intergalactic food business, how have our mutual trade discussions been going?"

Shego gave a casual shrug. "Well, our latest talks have been real positive, if boring. Deathly boring, actually. If I could, I'd hand off all the responsibility to my underlings, but since the Lorwardians diplomatic skills are grossly lacking, I'd be afraid that someone would say the wrong thing or look at someone cross eyed, and we'd be at war all over again."

"Underlings, huh? That must make you feel pretty good after having been Drakken's sidekick for so many years. But if there's anyone who can keep them in line, that'd be you."

"Yeah, feeling of total power, wielding the threat of life and death, yada-yada. But I'm still bored stiff half the time. Drew and I are getting along fine, but he's hard at work these days with his terraforming projects."

Shego let out a small sigh. "I just miss the good ol' days, I guess."

Kim smirked back, "You mean our knock-down drag-out fights of the past, as Ron and I succeeded once again in foiling Drakken's latest take-over-the-world scheme?"

Shego grimaced. "Uh, yeah, those fights. Not that we would consider starting that up again, mind you. Rank definitely has its privileges around here, ya know."

A curious smile appeared on Shego's face. "Which reminds me. The Empress wanted me to deliver an imperial command to you regarding the upcoming Interstellar Games. You know, in celebration of the first anniversary of the Earth/Lorwardian Accords?"

Kim's curiosity was piqued. "Yeah, the whole planet is excited about that. So, what kind of command?"

Shego continued slyly. "Well, actually it's both a request _and_ a command. She wants to know if your former Middleton High cheer squad would attend as guests of Lorwardia to rally the teams from Earth. It seems that she rather enjoyed watching you guys on TV while she was monitoring all of those Earth broadcasts."

"Really?" Kim gushed. "Wow, that'd just be totally spankin!"

"But that's not all. She's also commanded that a _Lorwardian_ cheer squad be formed for the occasion, their first ever."

Shego's grin widened. "And she's also requested that... _you_ train them."

Kim just stared back at Shego's flickering holographic image with her mouth agape. "Uh, I think we just had a comm glitch, Shego. I could have sworn that you said Warmonga wants me to train a _Lorwardian cheer squad_."

Shego snickered, "You heard me right, Kimmie. They've already chosen the teenage squad members from what passes as their high school system, and their first practice is in ten days. So that gives you just enough time to get that skinny little butt of yours over here to Lorwardia."

Kim gasped, "Whoa, whoa! Time out, Shego! That's a pretty tall order, don't you think? I don't even know if any of the old cheer squad members are still even in the area, let alone have an interest in a reunion like that. I'd have to look them all up first and wait for them to get back to me, which might take some time. So Warmonga better not get her hopes up too high, not at least until..."

At that moment, Hope tapped Kim on the shoulder. "Oh, Kim? I just sent out an email to everybody about Warmonga's invitation, and everyone's just replied. We'd all _love_ to do it."

Shego snorted in glee. "That's great! I'll pass the news on to Warmonga, she'll be thrilled. See you soon, Cupcake..."

And before Kim could say another word, Shego signed off.

"Hey, wait a minute! Shego?"

But all Kim heard was the static of dead air. With a resigned roll of her eyes, Kim moaned, "Oh, well. There goes my summer vacation…"

When she broke the news to Ron an hour later, he was ecstatic. "Coolio! The return of the Middleton High Mad Dogs Cheer Squad, and a chance for me to relive my former glory days as their mascot, and on Lorwardia no less! But let's just leave the Pep Puppies behind this time, okay? Now, where did I keep my banana-flavored mouth foam..."

Kim held up both of her hands to slow Ron's headlong rush into nostalgia. "Whoa there, Ron! Curb your enthusiasm for just a sec, okay? Before you get too far ahead of yourself, there are a few things I need to consider first. If I train the Lorwardian squad, who's going to lead _our_ squad in the meantime, even if I _can _pull them all back together on such short notice?"

Ron began to look a bit uncomfortable. "KP, I can understand that you'd love to lead the cheer squad again, but..."

"But what, Ron?" She folded her arms as she waited for his reply, wondering what her husband had in mind.

Ron rubbed the back of his neck as he always did when either feeling guilty, being unsure of what to say, or when conveying something unpleasant. And in this case, all three.

"Well, uh, only _you_ can train a cheer squad quick enough to do the job, especially if we're talkin' about Lorwardian teenagers. And since this isn't technically a cheer squad _competition_, maybe, uh, someone else could lead the reconstipated team?"

Kim winced. "That's _reconstituted_, Ron."

"Oh, yeah. Heh-heh. Missed that word on Barkin's pop quiz too..."

Her jaw dropped wide open as she suddenly realized what he was implying. Or more precisely, who.

"Ron, you can't possibly mean..."

He smiled back weakly without saying a word. She didn't need any mystical mind-reading skills to deduce exactly what he was thinking.

Kim gritted her teeth as she finished her own sentence. "Bonnie."

Ron quickly interjected, "You'd be the absolute best choice for either spot, Kim, but even _you_ can't be in two places at the same time."

Kim pondered that for a moment, remembering that her powers did include splitting herself into multiple personas. But she suspected that it would be difficult if not impossible to maintain over interstellar distances, not to mention for the month that the training would take.

"True, but it really irks me to give up a choice plum like that to Bonnie, even if it's only temporary."

Memories of her long-standing competition with her former teammate sprang back to life like an emotional multi-headed Hydra.

Ron smiled knowingly. "Obsessing again over food chain issues, Kim? Everyone, including Bonnie, knows that you're clearly the top dog now."

He scratched his chin as he reconsidered his analogy. "Ooh. Well, maybe not a dog. Maybe top of the heap? But there actually are some dogs that look better than others. Have you ever seen an Afghan hound from behind? I almost mistook one for a girl once, and boy was I embarrassed. And you've no doubt noticed the similarity between the names 'Rottweiler' and 'Rockwaller'..."

With a gentle roll of her eyes, Kim giggled, "Focus, Ron. I get your point."

But she still wasn't willing to cave completely just yet. "But maybe I can, uh, just let Bonnie whip them into shape while I train the Lorwardians? And then step in at the last minute to lead them when we actually..."

The look on Ron's face was priceless. He perfectly imitated Kim's very best Puppy Dog Pout, and Kim simply broke out laughing.

"Well, I guess that since I already have enough honors to last me a lifetime, I suppose I can afford to..."

"Toss Bonnie a bone?"

Kim couldn't help but snort at her husband's priceless quip as he continued, "And I wouldn't be surprised if those Lorwardians end up giving our ladies a run for their money, under _your_ bon-diggity guidance."

The trap baited and set, Kim's innate competitiveness kicked into high gear at Ron's suggestion.

"All right, Ron, you've convinced me. But now I guess I'll have to call Bonnie and see if she'll do it."

"I knew you'd make the right decision, KP. Anything may be possible for a Possible, but there's no sense in stretching yourself too thin when you don't really have to."

Kim picked up the phone and dialed a number she hadn't called for quite some time. A few moments later, Bonnie answered.

"Hey, B. It's Kim. It looks like everyone's in on our little Lorwardian cheer gig, except me... Yeah, other plans. I've got to train a Lorwardian cheer squad in the meantime, so I was wondering if you'd like to..."

Kim choked back her gag reflex. "...lead the squad in my absence?"

Ron could hear Bonnie's scream of delight through the phone, even from across the room.

Kim winced in pain as she replied, "I'll take that as a yes..."

* * *

Later that evening, a prison guard walked up to Cell 1138 in Cell Block C, where those female prisoners deemed to be the highest security risk were incarcerated. Ironically, this was the very same cell that had once held the infamous Shego before she once again decided that life on the right side of the law would be more practical (and lucrative) than her former life of crime.

He observed the cell, fortified with thick metal bars of a special nickel-chromium alloy impervious to even Shego's considerable plasma energy. The guard took note of the alloy type, RA600, for future reference. Who knew when that information might come in handy, especially now that Kim Possible had the same plasma powers as Shego? But as helpful as this was, it wasn't his primary reason for being here.

He peered into the darkened enclosure and smiled at its occupant. "Excuse me, but aren't you Camille Léon, the famous cat food heiress?"

Camille frowned as she gave the guard the once over. "Who wants to know?"

He replied offhandedly, "Just curious."

She flipped back her blond hair and sneered, "Whatevs, you peon. Looking for a signed photograph? Sorry, all out."

The guard laughed. "You misunderstand my intent, Ms. Léon. Today's your lucky day."

She yawned as she gave a thoroughly bored reply. "Oh, really?"

He unlocked the cell door and opened it. "Let's go."

Camille cocked an eyebrow, immediately suspicious. "Uh, _as if_. And just where are we going?"

The guard smiled back, "Outside to freedom. I'm springing you from this flea trap. You're too good for this place, and you know it. Oh, and just so you know that I'm entirely on the up and up, I happened to bring along a little friend who's missed you very much."

He flipped open a small carrier bag, and the head of a hairless Sphynx cat popped out.

"_Mmrrrow?_"

Camille's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Debutante? My little sweetums! Ooh, it's so good to see you!"

Her cat continued to mew with pleasure as Camille gently squeezed and petted her. "I never thought I'd ever see you again, my little precious!"

She turned back to the guard, this time with a smile on her face. "But how are you going to get me out of here? There's several simply _epic_ guard stations between us and my entourage... er, the outside world. And as soon as they see my empty cell, they'll no doubt raise some kind of lame alarm."

"I've already thought of that. First, morph yourself into my likeness for your disguise."

"Okay, but what about you?'

"Just do it, trust me."

She gave a tiny shrug. "Whatevs."

A moment later she had completed the transformation, and was now the spitting image of the guard down to the buckles on his boots.

He removed his latex mask, revealing another face beneath. "There. Now we can walk out together and no one will be the wiser. Oh, and here's your security badge and card key. And if we're stopped, let me do the talking."

"But what if someone looks inside my cell? They'll miss my regal presence right away, and then the jig is up."

"I've got that covered too." The guard pulled a small device out of his bag, placing it on her bunk. A holographic image of a sleeping Camille instantly materialized. Her chest rose and fell in perfect simulation of her breathing. The image even moved occasionally beneath the pixilated blanket to complete the ruse.

"This should fool 'em long enough for us to make a clean escape. C'mon, let's go."

Camille placed Debutante back into the carrier bag. "Okay, sweetums. Be nice and quiet for Mommy, just like we've always done."

The tiny cat mewed in pleasant acknowledgement as Camille zipped up the bag.

But just as they started to leave the cell, Camille asked, "Uh, one question first, if you don't mind? This is just simply poppin' of you, but exactly why are you doing this for me? What's in it for you?"

The guard quickly replied, "No time to explain now. First we've got to get out of here."

They proceeded through the first two checkpoints without any problem, but once they reached the last one, the guard looked them over suspiciously.

"Uh, didn't just _one_ of you pass by here just a few minutes ago?"

Camille froze, fearing that their cover was about to be blown.

The alert guard moved his hand down and placed it on his service revolver. With his other hand he motioned toward the corner. "Both of you, please move over there."

As they complied, the guard quickly entered both of their badge numbers into the computer, but frowned as both of them checked out. Next he carefully scrutinized each cell in the block with the jail's state of the art closed-circuit security system, especially the one containing Camille Léon. But he found nothing out of the ordinary, being totally fooled by the holographic device on her bunk.

Camille's rescuer broke out into a wide smile. "Congratulations, Officer Smith. You've just passed your annual service review with flying colors."

The guard looked pleasantly surprised, but then gave him a quizzical look. "But my review's not until next month?"

"That's right," Camille's guard easily replied. "We usually like to start our reviews early with a test like this, especially when it's not expected. Something like, uh, a pop quiz."

Officer Smith smiled back, "Yeah, I can understand the reasoning behind that. Thanks! And have a good night, you two."

Camille breathed a silent sigh of relief as they quickly passed through the final checkpoint. A few minutes later, they stepped out into the cool night air, and freedom. The guard's vehicle stood only a block away.

Camille took one look at it and glowered. "A Horizon Wireless van? Nice getaway car."

As they got in, she asked again, "So, what's the deal here? Not that I'm not grateful ya know, but what do you get out of this?"

The guard smiled back, but it was now a wolfish grin. "You are instrumental in my plot to obtain... a certain device."

Camille crossed her arms in irritation. "Really? And what is it exactly that you expect me to do?"

His teeth now fully bared, he replied, "Nothing at all. Just go to sleep."

With a sudden spray of knockout gas, Camille quickly slumped into unconsciousness. As Grallx laughed heartily, he slowly drove off while Debutante plaintively mewed away within her bag.

**_TBC..._**


	6. Reunion

_Grazie mille_ _to Eddy13, Bookworm Gal, AlphaSeymour, readerjunkie, CajunBear73, Sentinel103, Katsumara, Jimmy1201, Reader101w, Oreochema and AnimationNut for their kind reviews, and if hit counters are any indication, to the several hundred of you who are reading my new tome of terror. And leave a review, I promise a reply. And maybe even a few hints of what's to come..._

* * *

Reunion

Yori opened her eyes and gazed out over the brightly glowing expanse of the Astral Plane. The beautiful gateway between the great realities was always a welcome sight to her, and the brilliantly lit path beneath her beckoned the young ninja toward realms barely imagined, let alone experienced. Using every bit of her skill and ability, she sent out her thoughts into the incredible distance before her, hoping for at least one glimmer of hope, one iota of contact with whom she believed was the originator of her fearful vision: Sensei.

She sensed nothing at first, and indeed had not expected to so early in her search. But she pushed ahead nevertheless, achieving speeds unimaginable in the normal physical world. Faster and faster she traveled, seeking out the mystical nexus between this world and the next.

Soon she reached the first signpost, a glowing ball of energy with brightly shining beams radiating out from its center in several directions. One of these beams would surely lead her to her destination. But which one? If she chose the wrong path, she might find herself so far off course so as to never reach home again, let alone reach her goal of contacting Sensei. She slowed, entering the ball and extending her consciousness through the powerful orb.

"Sensei, if you can feel my presence, please direct me along the correct path that will lead me to you, wherever that might be."

She felt a tickle within her mind, and felt the slightest of impressions emanate from one of the glowing beams, which brightened ever so slightly before her. She immediately launched onto the new path that seemed to stretch out before her nearly to infinity, if not eternity. Racing along the path, she lost all track of space and time in her headlong rush toward her destination.

Her spirit's precious cord played out behind her like a kind of spiritual fishing line, leading back to her body in the physical world. She shuddered as she remembered how Stoppable-sama's mystical cord had broken once, nearly stranding him here for all eternity. She promised herself to be cautious, lest the same fate befall her. But this was no mere fishing trip that she was on, rather a desperate hunt for the path leading into one of the greater realities, specifically the one known as the afterlife.

After what seemed like several days of travel, Yori at last reached the end. She slowed as she approached what looked like a glowing window floating before her, one she dare not proceed through lest her physical form expire, as she suspected had happened to Sensei the year before. Her soul and spirit exhausted by the journey, she tried to call through the portal. But she was so far removed from her physical body that she could barely achieve more than a whisper. She concentrated every last iota of energy into speaking a single name to announce her presence here.

"Sensei..."

But there was no reply, and she felt her strength waning. She would need to return very soon, or else perish. Here on the Astral Plane, her spirit could not physically cry, but her earthly form was no doubt shedding an anguished tear.

Suddenly, she felt a new presence. But this was a different type from the one she had sensed before. This one had an unusual, almost alien feeling to it. Not evil by any means, but definitely not human. A tiny light now appeared in the distance and moved toward her, growing larger and brighter as it approached. It stopped before her, hovering between her and the portal. It began to speak.

"You are the one called Yori." It was a statement of fact, not a question.

She gently replied, "Yes, I am Yori. And who are you, and how do you know of me?"

The brightly glowing alien sternly continued, "Who I am is not important. What you are trying to do however, _is_. And it is not allowed."

Yori remained patient as she tried to explain. "If you know of me, then you must know that I have traveled great distance to arrive here. It is of utmost importance to my planet, and perhaps to its very survival, that I reach the one named Sensei. I believe it was he who contacted me with both an important vision and a command, but it was sadly all too brief. I urgently seek more information in order to fulfill his request."

The alien glowed brighter at the name of Sensei. "Yes, I am familiar with him as well. I and my kind made him a promise, but that promise has already been fulfilled. And now he has passed on through the portal which stands before you, and now resides in... what lies beyond. But you must understand that this passage is one way only. As regrettable as that may be, should you pass through, you would not be able to return. Likewise, any communication through the portal is forbidden."

Yori bowed before the alien and pleaded, "It is not my wish to pass through, nor do I seek Sensei's return from his place of eternal contentment. But if I might speak with him, however briefly, it would be of tremendous help to me."

The alien floated silently before her for a few moments. When he replied, his tone had softened somewhat. "You are obviously gifted with great talent and ability to have reached this point, so very far from your own reality. Your determination is to be commended."

She bowed her head again. "Thank you. But I will soon need to return. I only ask for time enough to discover reason behind Sensei's message."

The alien continued to hover silently for another moment. "Very well, for Sensei's sake, even though I myself may be severely reprimanded for breaking this protocol."

The alien began to grow brighter as it increased in size. He reached out with a slender blue tendril, touching Yori's forehead. With another tendril, he extended it until it made contact with the portal, which blossomed open like a huge flower. The translucent opening began to clear to near transparency. As it did so, a human form appeared on the other side. The man seemed to shine with an inner glow, and smiled at her in his typically benign and all-knowing way. Yori smiled back in relief, easily recognizing her old master and barely able to contain her excitement.

"Sensei!"

"Yes, Yori, it is I. It pleases me greatly to see you again, but I must admit some surprise at your presence here. You have certainly traveled an incredible distance to seek me out in such a way as this."

"I have, Master Sensei. I trust you are... well?"

He nodded, continuing to glow with a brilliance that almost hurt her eyes with its intensity.

"Yes, quite well in point of fact. The afterlife is truly a place of unimaginable peace and wonder." He chuckled lightly. "But I am certain that you did not seek me out in order to inquire about my health, Yori-chan. Rather, you seek further details regarding your vision. Or rather, the vision that I myself first received and then communicated to you."

He winced at the memory. "With quite some difficulty, I might add."

His eyes then began to glitter mischievously. "Alas, I no longer have the ability to write on the wall with mystery meat gravy from such a great distance."

Yori was astounded. "Then the vision was not yours to begin with? But from where then did it originate?"

"I cannot say. But so disturbing was it to me, that I took the formidable steps in order to contact you."

"Yes, Sensei. It disturbed me greatly as well. But is it a prophecy of what is certain to occur, or is it only a possible outcome, and therefore avoidable?"

Sensei's brow furrowed in uncertainty. "I pray that it is the latter rather than the former, but as I am now far removed from my former reality, I cannot be certain. I do sense however that if there is to be any chance to avoid that vision's fulfillment, you must make the full resources of Yamanouchi available to Stoppable-sama, or else the apocalypse that you foresaw will indeed take place and result in Earth's utter destruction. But whatever the ultimate result may truly be, the intervention of the Mystical Monkey Master will be critical."

Yori felt nearly overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenge, but decided to face it head on. "I promise, Sensei. I will make certain that Yamanouchi will give both Stoppable-sama and Kim-chan our unqualified help in Earth's time of great need."

Sensei replied with a sense of foreboding. "Yori... I am not certain how much help Kim-chan will be."

Yori paled, fearful of what his statement implied. "What... what do you mean, Sensei? In that possible future, is she, perhaps..."

He answered quickly before Yori could complete her anxious question. "I do not know, Yori-chan. I merely sense that she is... absent in some way at the time of our mutual vision. And I fear that others may be missing as well."

Yori tried to hide her increasing anxiety. "Then who is left to defend Earth? And from where does this threat originate?"

"Again, the vision is incomplete, but the source of the threat is definitely from beyond Earth. But whether it is a natural phenomenon or an outright attack, I cannot say."

Suddenly, Yori felt very peculiar. Whether her dizziness simply resulted from these startling new revelations or from her incredibly long journey, she couldn't tell. But something was definitely not right. "Sensei, I feel so strange..."

Sensei frowned, immediately recognizing the signs. "You must return to your body now, Yori-Chan. Hopefully you have not exceeded your physical endurance in making this journey. And I do hope to eventually see you again, but not for a _very _long time yet. _Gokouun o inorimasu,_ Yori-chan. Farewell..."

The alien withdrew his tendrils as Sensei began to fade away, and the portal began to close.

Yori gave her alien benefactor a look of deep appreciation. "Thank you. This new information will no doubt be of great help both to me and my world. And if there is anything I can do in return..."

But as the alien began to recede into the distance, he merely whispered, "Let's just keep this between ourselves, if you don't mind..."

In another moment he had vanished, and Yori began her long trek back home.

* * *

Grallx parked his van a block away from the well-camouflaged entrance to Global Justice HQ, with the still-unconscious Camille Léon seated next to him. He realized that he would have to work fast. He couldn't keep Camille Leon under sedation indefinitely without risking injury to her, which would squelch his plan. But he would also have to time his theft just right. Only after Dr. Director left her office would he be able to assume her identity and infiltrate the top secret facility. And the equipment he needed was too bulky for just one person to handle, which was just one of several reasons he needed Camille's help.

He pulled out the neuro-compliance chip that he had just procured from Professor Dementor's lab, and attached it to Camille's forehead.

"Hmm. I wonder if the Professor even knew exactly what he had in his possession..."

Grallx understood that the effects of the chip were limited and that Camille would remember everything he said once she woke up, so he first morphed himself into the chief of Global Justice. He sprayed Camille with another mist to counteract the knockout gas, and she started to come to.

"Wakey, wakey, Camille." Her eyes fluttered, finally focusing on Grallx's new form. "Hi, my name is Dr. Director, and I need your help in moving some equipment."

Camille obediently replied, "Yes, Dr. Director."

Grallx smiled. The chip was working perfectly.

"But first you'll need to morph yourself into this person so we can enter this facility without, uh, raising any suspicions. Here, take a look at this picture."

Camille immediately complied, instantly transforming herself into the perfect likeness of agent Will Du.

As luck would have it, Betty Director was at that moment leaving Global Justice HQ, engrossed in a conversation on her cell phone. "Yes, Sheldon, I know Mother has put you back in the will, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Pepi will benefit from the trust should you predecease him..."

She walked right by the vehicle without noticing either of the occupants. As soon as she turned the corner, the alien shapeshifter smiled in relief. Both Grallx and Camille quickly exited the vehicle and proceeded to the entrance of Global Justice.

"Now I find out if this thing actually works."

He swiped the unique keycard, his anxiety disappearing as soon as the green indicator light displayed its approval. They stepped inside as a pneumatic tube whisked them directly to the GJ Security desk. The security guard manning her post naturally looked surprised.

"Dr. Director! Back so soon?"

Grallx cleared his throat as he attempted to mimic the voice of Dr. Director. "Ah, yes I did. I simply forgot some important equipment that needs immediate investigation, that's all."

Camille remained silent and just glared back at the guard, which seemed to satisfy her. The guard nodded and buzzed both of the impostors through. Grallx immediately made a beeline toward the R&D section of the facility. Upon entering the lab, he spotted the device that he had been after.

"Ah, the fabled brain switch machine, at long last. Quickly, let's pack it up." In just a few short minutes, the device's critical components were disassembled and boxed up for transport. The disguised Grallx and Camille were soon leaving the facility, their precious cargo spirited away without a problem. Once the equipment was secured within his van, Grallx removed an item from his belt.

"Thanks so much for your help, Camille, but I must be going now."

He sprayed her once again with a whiff of knockout gas, catching her as she fell and gently placing her into the driver's seat of another vehicle that he had previously parked nearby. He removed the mind control chip from her forehead and placed it in his pocket.

"Now you'll only remember that a prison guard sprung you from your cell, and that you helped Dr. Director move some equipment. And you'll both take the fall when it's discovered that the brain-switch machine is missing, but by the time they sort everything out, I'll be long gone and off-planet."

Debutante's soft mewing interrupted his monologue. "But I'm not totally without feeling, my little friend."

He took a moment to place the carrier bag containing the tiny Sphynx cat next to Camille's sleeping form. Grallx chuckled to himself as he started up his van and casually drove back to his interstellar scout craft.

A few minutes later, Camille started to come to. As her eyes began to focus, she noticed that her vehicle was now surrounded by a cordon of both police and GJ agents. Bright spotlights were trained on her, as well as every gun of the Middleton SWAT team. They were taking no chances that she would simply morph into some nondescript character and slip away into the night.

Officer Hobble switched on his bullhorn just as Kim and Ron pulled up in their SL Coupe. "Camille Léon, you're under arrest! Step out of the vehicle nice and slow and come along quietly, and no one will get hurt!"

Kim grinned with pleasure as she and Ron jumped out of the car. "Looks like we're just in time, Ron."

"Yup, two major criminals busted in one day. Booyah!"

Camille sighed heavily as she realized that she'd been set up as a patsy, and there was now no escape. Resigning herself to her fate, she stepped out of the car. But as scores of flashbulbs suddenly went off, she immediately smiled and posed for the local paparazzi as they all jockeyed for position to get the best photos of her that they could.

"Well, how do you like that, KP?" Ron whined. "After saving the world as many times as we have, and all these guys can do is take snapshots of _Camille_?"

"Don't sweat it, Ron. At least we're not the ones going back to jail."

But Camille only had a brief moment to bask in the limelight of her adoring public before she was whisked back into GJ headquarters, with Kim and Ron following close behind. Dr. Director immediately began the interrogation.

"All right, Ms. Léon. Let's start with where your accomplice is, and the location of the device you stole."

She responded with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Uh, sorry, but after that yummy guard guy sprung me out of prison, I must have blacked out. When I woke up, _you_ said you needed my help to move that big electrical thingy and made me morph into one of your lieutenants. I have _no _idea why I helped you, but I just couldn't help myself for some reason. Especially since your uniforms are _such_ a snore. Then I blacked out again, and woke up in that gross little compact car. Ugh, that style is _so_ below me, I can't _believe_ I let you talk me into lowering my standards so much that I would..."

As Camille blathered on, Kim whispered into her Kimmunicator, which had been silently scanning Camille for any sign of deceit during the interrogation. "Wade, anything?"

"Sorry, Kim. I've been monitoring her reactions, and I'm not picking up any physiological changes. She's telling the truth, or at least she thinks she is. And GJ's internal monitors corroborate her story. Whatever happened, it occurred just like she said."

Kim frowned. "Wade, that's so not what I wanted to hear. Are you picking up anything else unusual?"

Wade quickly dialed a few knobs before answering. "Actually, Kim, there is. I'm scanning a strange imprint on her forehead. It's small, but it's exactly the same size and shape as the neuro-compliance chip that Drakken once used on you and Shego."

Kim's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Whoa! You mean Dr. Bortel's mind-control chip? That would explain a lot. But if that's the case, how can we discover the identity of our mysterious stranger? Even Ron can't read Camille's mind if she doesn't have anything to remember."

Ron smiled slyly. "_Ow contrary, _KP. There was actually someone else near the scene of the crime who might be able to help us..."

A few minutes later Ron had retrieved one very scared hairless Sphynx cat from Camille's vehicle. As he carefully removed Debutante from her carrier bag, Ron began to calmly purr and meow, instantly eliciting a cheerful response from the small hairless cat.

Kim shook her head. "It still scares me how you can do that, Ron."

"Hey, if Dr. Doolittle could do it, why not me? And he wasn't even a Mystical Monkey Master!"

Ron gave a low growl in his throat, followed by another plaintive meow. Debutante responded in kind, but soon began to give Rufus a longing, hopeful look.

Ron warned, "Focus, Debutante. No time for romance right now."

Debutante growled in frustration while Rufus gave out a small sigh of relief. After another catty exchange, Ron turned to the others.

"Okay, so here's the sitch. It looks like some kind of alien shapeshifter sprung Camille from jail and used her to infiltrate Global Justice. After making off with that gorchy brain-switch machine, he pinned the deed on her to redirect suspicion."

Kim was amazed. "Wow, Ron! And Debutante told you all that?"

"Yeah, and that she still has a crush on Rufus, too."

Rufus slapped a tiny paw to his forehead and moaned, "_Oh, boy_..."

Ron quickly intervened. "Sorry Debutante. It'll never work since you're both two completely different species. But that doesn't mean you can't still be good friends."

Debutante gave Rufus an expectant look and a hopeful mew, to which the tiny mole rat gave a half-hearted, "_Well, okay_..."

Camille spoke up. "Well, now that my sweetum's done with this lame romance, what about me? This poser sprung me for, like, his own gruesome reasons and treated me just like, like..."

She pursed her lips in disgust and angrily stamped the ground. "Like some second-rate knock-off! Ooh! Doesn't he know who I am?"

Kim smirked, "Yeah, he knew exactly who you were, Camille. And he made off with some really dangerous equipment with your unwitting help."

She was suddenly struck with an idea. "But how would you like to help turn the tables on this guy? I'm sure we could work out some kind of deal just like we did with Shego and Drakken, but you'd have to promise to go straight for good."

Kim gave Dr. Director a hopeful look as she asked, "In the name of global security, perhaps?"

But Dr. Director looked like she needed a little more convincing first. "I don't know, Miss Possible..."

Kim smirked, "That's _Mrs. Stoppable _now, actually. And maybe there was actually something to that 'Ron Factor' after all..."

Ron smiled back and uttered a small "_Booyah_..."

"... so since we gave practically all of my other enemies a chance to redeem themselves, I'm also willing to give Camille a chance."

She turned to the former cat-food heiress. "And maybe we could also pull some strings to help you regain your spot on the world's richest kids list?"

Ron jumped in, "And all the designer bling that money can't buy! Or _can _buy, I mean. Uh, or maybe just help you recover your coolio credit rating?"

Camille thought it over before replying with a casual flip of her hair. "Whatevs, people. You've got a deal. But I am _not_ going undercover as some lame dime-a-doz poser, clear?"

Dr. Director nodded. "I'm sure we can work out an agreement acceptable to both of us, Camille. Won't you step back into my office?"

As the two new allies walked off, Kim turned to Ron with a worried look. "Well, I'm not sure what's going on, but this all sounds pretty serious. An alien shapeshifter stealing top-secret technology doesn't fill me with warm fuzzy feelings. And who knows what's going on behind the scenes that we don't even know about yet?"

Ron tried to respond with a confidence that he really didn't feel. "Yeah, so we'll just have to take it as it comes, KP. But when we find out what's really going on, we'll zip it in the mud just like we always do."

She smiled at Ron's usual mangling of the English language. "That's 'nip it the bud,' Ron. I just hope there are some flowers left to bloom once this is all over..."

**_TBC..._**


	7. Closing In

_Danke schön __to Eddy13, Bookworm Gal, AlphaSeymour, Sentinel103, CajunBear73, Jimmy1201, readerjunkie, Reader101w, Katsumara, AnimationNut and Tito-Mosquito for reviewing, and everyone else for reading. And remember that if you leave a review, I promise I'll leave a reply. And now for a little mayhem to brighten your day..._

* * *

The green and black clad female somersaulted through the doorway just as explosions began ripping through the interior of the complex. With perfect grace and agility, she landed on both feet and quickly looked back toward the open door.

"Ya still with me, Dr. Drakken?"

The blue-skinned man followed right behind her, dressed in his typical long, dark blue lab coat and sporting his trademark ponytail.

"Yes, Shego. Nice work, by the way. Those evildoers were no match for you, but when they forgot to flip the Emergency Off Switch..."

Shego quickly cut him off. "Later for the convo, please? I'd like to be out of the line of fire once this place goes up in smoke."

They both continued to run, racing around the corner of another building just as the entire facility exploded in a huge fireball.

Shego panted, "Wow, that was a close one!"

"Yes, and to think that an Emergency Off Switch would have _completely avoided _that conflagration."

Dr. Drakken pointed directly at the camera and warned, "Don't let this happen to you! Take it from me, the Great Blue!"

Shego chimed in, "And from me, your Princess Regent! Don't leave your home or business unprotected: Emergency Off Switches are on sale _right now_ at Smarty Mart, where smart Lorwardians shop smart!"

As both of them grinned and mugged for the camera, one of Drakken's carefully smoothed down flowers suddenly sprang out from beneath his collar.

"CUT!" The director was fuming. "Okay, people, this is the _twelfth take_ for crying our loud! Drakken, can you _please _rein in your floral arrangements long enough for us to finish shooting this commercial?"

Drakken sneered back, "Sorry, but these vines seem to have a mind of their own at times."

His patience at an end, the director shot back, "Well, get them a different mind then! Time is money, people. And if you weren't the high and mighty Great Blue, we'd be done with this shoot and I'd be relaxing by the pool drinking a nice cool Blue Jingo!"

Shego's face darkened. "Hey, that's my _husband _you're talking about, pal."

The director sarcastically replied, "Oh, yeah? And who are you, the Great Green?"

Shego felt her blood pressure rising as she flashed a dangerous smile back at the clueless director. "As a matter of fact, yes. So I guess you don't know exactly who you're dealing with, do you?"

Fearing that her slow boil might erupt into something a little more deadly, Drakken cautioned, "Now, Shego... temper, temper..."

The director foolishly pressed on. "Okay, missy, get ready for the next take while we reload the flash pots."

Shego's eyes flared at the slight. "_Missy_? Who are you callin' _Missy_?"

He then stuck a fat forefinger into Dr. D's chest. "And Drak, baby? You screw up again, and we hire _Team Possible_ for the shoot."

The term 'famous last words' is regretfully overdone, but in this case it fit all too well. Her boiling point finally reached, Shego yelled out, "_That_ does it! FIRE IN THE HOLE!"

She instantly fired up her gloves with a loud whoosh and cut loose with a generous burst of bright green plasma. A moment later, a very surprised director stared back at her with a blackened face, tendrils of smoke rising from his now charred clothing.

He gave a small cough as he waved his hands to clear the air. "Hmm, maybe we can just remove that flower petal in post-production..."

Shego flashed him a smug smile. "Good call."

In his wisest decision that day, the director cheerfully announced, "Okay, people, it's a wrap! Blue Jingos for everyone, and the first round's on me!"

As the relieved crew began breaking down their equipment, Drakken gently tsked, "Ah, Shego. What am I going to do with you?"

She snickered back, "I dunno, Dr. D, but I'm sure you'll come up with something."

Just then, one of Shego's underlings breathlessly came running up.

"M'lady, an urgent call from Ambassador Possible."

Without a word, Shego rushed back to the vehicle and picked up the relay. "What's up, Kimmie?"

The transmission was voice only and crackled with static. "Shego, we've got a serious sitch here. Remember that brain-switch machine Dr. Drakken invented a few years ago?"

"Yeah, how could I forget? I got a good chuckle out of you and the Ronster flippin' your brains. But isn't that thing in the hands of Global Justice now?"

"Well, it was, but we've just discovered that an alien shapeshifter has made off with it, with the help of a former enemy of mine under the control of one of Dr. Bortel's neuro-compliance chips. And we suspect that this alien may have also stolen the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer."

Shego deadpanned, "What, no missing Moodulator?"

In the meantime, Drakken had walked up, overhearing the exchange. He blanched at the unexpected news, his flower petals drooping in alarm. "Oh, snap..."

Shego groused, "Well, Kimmie, that's just peachy. Any idea what planet this shapeshifter's from, or what he wants with all this stuff?"

"No, that's why I'm calling, to see if you could check with your sources there for any help they can provide. I'll be leaving shortly for Lorwardia anyway, but I wanted to give you a heads up. This has big trouble written all over it."

Shego nodded. "You can say _that_ again, Kim. I guess Dr. Director and Nerdlinger will be holding down the fort on Earth in the meantime?"

"That's right, along with Ron. He's rejoined my old cheer squad as their mascot for their command performance on Lorwardia next month, so he'll be following me in few weeks."

Shego snorted. "So I guess the Pep Puppies are out of the picture, huh?"

Kim chuckled. "That's right. Would _you_ set the Tweebs loose on Lorwardia if you had a choice?"

Shego shuddered. "After what happened the last time? Point taken, Cupcake. So, no other clues?"

"Nope. We don't know what his plan is, or whether it's going to play out on Earth or Lorwardia. But with the Interstellar Games coming up, my gut feeling is that it'll happen on Lorwardia. So let's keep in close contact until we can figure out what's going on."

"Roger that, Kim. I'll let Warmonga know, and have Drakken alert our security forces here to the possibility of the threat. Anything else?"

"Yeah. If there's any bright side to this, I don't think that the shapeshifter realizes that we're on to him now. He took great pains to cover his tracks, but he made one little slip that tipped us off."

"Well, at least that's something. I'll contact you as soon as I discover anything on this end. See you soon, Kim."

"Thanks, Shego. I'll be in touch. See you in about a week."

As Kim signed off, Shego turned to Drakken. "Well, shades of the past are coming back to haunt us, Drew. I think you better alert your security troops just in case. And I'll break the news to the Empress."

Drakken gave her a smug look. "Well, Shego, you wanted a little more adventure and excitement. You may have just gotten your wish..."

* * *

"Come on ladies, snap it up! This isn't going to be just a Sunday stroll in the park!"

It was the first practice for the Middleton High Cheer Squad in nearly a year, and Bonnie Rockwaller was laying down the law right away. And a little too thick for some of the squad's taste.

Tara whined, "Hey, ease up, Bonnie! We're all a little out of practice. We don't want to risk an injury, or drop someone accidentally."

Bonnie shot back, "Yeah? Well, I've got my reputation to think about, Tara. Uh, I mean _our _reputation, and Earth's, that is."

Hope chimed in. "I agree with Tara, Bonnie. We need to ease into this a little more. Not even Kim worked us this hard, _ever_."

Crystal added, "But she _did_ call for extra practices, sometimes."

"Yeah, but that was when her 'Ron Night' got nixed that one time," Marcella huffed.

With arms akimbo, Bonnie declared, "That's because _Kim _only gave a 120% commitment, ladies. But I'm giving _130%_! And I expect the same from every one of you, too!"

Bonnie's command was met with a mutual groan from the team.

Jessica whispered an aside to Liz. "Even without Kim as her competition, it's like the Food Chain all over again. I thought Bonnie would have mellowed out a little since graduation."

Liz giggled back, "Bonnie? _Mellow out?_ Like _that's_ ever gonna happen..."

The ever-cheerful Ron then stepped into the fray. "Hey, lighten up, ladies! Let's just have some fun, it's not like it's a bon-diggety competition like the Regionals or anything. Just a friendly goodwill tour, right, Bon-Bon?"

Bonnie's face instantly reddened at the mention of her mom's despised nickname for her. She angrily replied through grit teeth, "I warned you _never_ to call me that, Stoppable! Mystical Monkey Power or not, I'll have you squad slapped into the next galaxy if you _ever_ call me that again, you loser!"

As the squad all tittered at Bonnie's outburst, Ron simply smiled back at her, pleased to have gotten her goat once again. From the start, Bonnie had been dead set against Kim and Ron dating, citing food chain issues. But since graduation, the whole balance of power had shifted into Kim and Ron's favor, especially after Ron had saved Kim's life, and then the world. And then once again a few months later, but now together and as each other's fiancée. The cheer squad had begun to think a lot differently about Ron, much to Bonnie's continued chagrin. But that didn't prevent her from snarking back at any opportunity.

"And would you _please_ keep that mouth foam away from me, you little freako?"

Just then, the door to the gym opened. In walked Kim, along with an attractive blond college-age girl.

"Hi, everyone! I'd like to introduce Leona, who I'm recommending to take my place on the team for the next month while I'm off training the new Lorwardian cheer squad. She's a senior on the Upperton High cheer squad, and she's been following our routines pretty closely through the years, so I can vouch for her completely. I know that a lot of our routines really require eight girls, so I thought it would be easier to add a new member rather than to, uh, develop completely new ones on such short notice."

Bonnie fiercely glared back, but before she could object Kim quickly continued. "Not that Bonnie would have any trouble whipping up some spankin' new routines, but considering the time crunch, I'd appreciate if you'd all at least consider it."

As they all scrutinized the newcomer, the perky blond waved back. "Hi, peoples! It's really great to have this yummy opportunity. That is, if you'll have me."

Bonnie folded her arms in annoyance. "Shouldn't that be _my _decision, Kim? This is _my_ team now, at least for the next month."

Hope was the first to speak up. "Bonnie, we agree that this is your team to lead, but Kim's right. It would be easier for all of us, depending on if Leona can cut it."

Tara cautiously jumped in as well. "Yeah, Bonnie, so it wouldn't hurt anything just to try her out, would it?"

Tara turned to her teammates. "So, what do we all think?"

The other cheerleaders quickly talked it over, then nodded in agreement.

Bonnie of course immediately tried to make it sound like it was her decision. "All right, I'll give her a chance and see how she does. Let's start with some basics first, then work our way up to the more complex routines."

As they started to practice, Ron pulled Kim aside. "I don't know about this, Kim. Having Camille along on this sorta kinda mission may be helpful in some ways, but does she really have the necessary skills to be part of THE Middleton Cheer Squad? I kinda agree with Bonnie: Earth's reputation is on the line, and we're on the cutting edge in representing it."

Kim whispered back, "No big, Ron. Camille actually _was_ a cheerleader in both high school and college. She's not as young as the rest of us, but I know she can do it. And I have a feeling she'd really love to nab the creep that set her up, so she definitely has some ferocious motivation. Besides, it's either that, or a one-way trip right back to Cell Block D."

Ron bowed to his wife's logic. "Yeah, you're right Kim. And this at least gets her to Lorwardia without raising any suspicions, since we really don't know who's behind all this yet."

"You've got _that_ right, Ron. And that worries me more than anything else..."

* * *

Shego walked into the throne room where Warmonga was just finishing a conference with the High Council. The new hall was finally complete, having been totally rebuilt after the cataclysmic battle of the year before, where Team Possible had ultimately defeated Zorpox. It was still grossly ostentatious, befitting the Lorwardian psyche, but at least it was tastefully done in various shades of green.

The nine-foot-tall green-skinned Empress looked up at her and smiled. "Ah! The Princess Regent. Welcome, Shego!"

As the council all filed out, each one bowed obsequiously to Shego as they passed. Her reputation as a fierce warrior was unequaled, having defeated even Warmonga in combat. However, they had both quietly forgotten about that once the Earth/Lorwardian Accords had been signed, designating Warmonga as the official Empress of Lorwardia and Shego as her Princess Regent. Both had proven to be popular leaders, especially now that Lorwardia's chronic food shortages were now a thing of the past. And their own long-standing animosity had warmed a bit, eventually being replaced by a begrudging respect for the other.

"So what brings you before Warmonga today, Shego? It must be quite important for you not to simply use a televisor."

Shego shrugged, "Well, I'm not here just to shoot the breeze, if that's what you mean."

"That is good. Warmonga finds it unprofitable to fire weapons into the wind. It is a waste of energy, and innocent bystanders could be injured."

Shego grimaced at her comment, forgetting how literal Warmonga still was in interpreting colloquial speech. But she was relieved that Warmonga at least knew what innocent bystanders were now.

"Uh, yeah. Anyway, I wanted to ask you a question about your previously conquered worlds. Were they any that had any indigenous intelligent life with shapeshifting abilities?"

Warmonga thought carefully for a moment. "Ooh, good question. Yes, Warmonga believes so. If memory serves, they exist on the moon of Parfa, where we regularly hunt Thorgoggle. The intelligent life there developed shape-changing abilities over time in order to elude the deadly creatures. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was just contacted by Kim Possible..."

Warmonga smiled. "Ah, yes. The Great Red."

Shego sighed heavily as she thought to herself, "_I guess I'll never understand why the Lorwardians have such an obsession with superlatives and their colors..._"

"Anyway, a shapeshifting thief back on Earth seems to be collecting some very nasty technology that I'm all too familiar with. Why, we don't know yet. But with the Interstellar Games coming up, the timing really bothers me. So tell me, do these Parfans have any spaceflight capability?"

Warmonga shrugged. "Nothing indigenous. But they are certainly intelligent enough to pilot an interstellar craft, if they had one."

"Or if they were provided with one?"

The Empress frowned and declared, "Long have I agreed with our standing orders absolutely forbidding the the use of Lorwardian technology by _any_ of our conquered worlds."

Shego smiled inwardly as she considered the irony of that rule, since Lorwardia had long made a habit of using captured or stolen technology to maintain an iron grip on their conquests.

"Well, Warmonga, some people break the law just for the fun of it." She chuckled. "And given _my_ past, I should know. But as this probably falls under the heading of a planetary threat, I just wanted to warn you privately right away."

"And that is greatly appreciated. This must be investigated immediately, as the Interstellar Games begin in only one month." She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "And if it pleases the Princess Regent, perhaps we can go on our own mission to the moon of Parfa and make some discrete inquiries into the matter, perhaps under the guise of a Thorgoggle hunt?"

Shego grinned, "I like the way you think, Warmonga. And while we're gone, the Great Blue can keep the home fires burning."

Warmonga gave her a strange look. "But why would you wish to burn down your own house? Is this some kind of human celebration that Warmonga is not familiar with?"

With a roll of her eyes, Shego simply let out a deep sigh. "Uh, I'll explain it on the way to Parfa..."

* * *

Dr. Drakken marched into his security meeting, now attired in his Lorwardian military uniform as the Great Blue. Even after several fittings, it was still a size too large, but at least his pants weren't falling down now.

He mumbled to himself, "Yes, for a while I was afraid that Ron's peculiar curse had begun to affect me as well."

Waiting for him were the top officers of the Lorwardian Imperial Guard: WarRaptor, Battlefox and Wolfenstrike.

He affably began, "Greetings, gentlemen. So, how are the security arrangements coming along for the upcoming Interstellar Games?"

Wearing a smarmy smile, WarRaptor answered cheerfully, "I'm pleased to report that all of our plans have been completed, Great Blue. Our troops have received their assignments and are ready for deployment once the the sport teams of the conquered worlds begin arriving, and..."

Drakken interrupted, "You mean the _formerly_ conquered worlds."

WarRaptor chafed at the correction. "Yes, of course. The sports teams from the _formerly_ conquered worlds will be watched 26/7 within our capital, with Battlefox in command. Any of their sightseeing tours beyond the city limits will likewise be closely monitored by forces under Wolfenstrike's direction. And I will of course coordinate everything from my headquarters here in Lorwardia Prime."

Drakken seemed pleased. "Very good. Oh, there's one other thing that's just come up. It appears that some sort of alien shapeshifter has purloined one of my old inventions back on Earth, plus one or two that I actually wouldn't mind getting my hands on again for, heh-heh, _old times sake _shall we say?"

All three of the Lorwardians froze at the news, and began exchanging furtive glances as Drakken continued.

"Yes, I sense that you are all as concerned as I am with this development. And if this shapeshifter is from one of your formerly occupied worlds, this could of course pose a serious security risk during the games."

He continued with a chuckle, "It would indeed be very bad form if half of Lorwardia Prime suddenly disappeared into the next dimension." He grumbled under his breath, "Or into whatever passes for cable television shows on this world..."

Drakken shuddered at the memory of the PDVI, and unconsciously rubbed the arm that had been injured by Mr. Sit-Down.

"Anyway, Shego is informing Warmonga of this right now. I'd like you to come up with a plan to deal with this interloper as soon as he shows up. Since he'll obviously be in some kind of disguise, we'll need to double check everyone's travel documents upon arrival, and possibly do random spot checks later as well. And all shipments of any equipment arriving on Lorwardia will need to be carefully searched. I'll put together a description of what these devices look like for distribution to your men."

He smiled smugly as he tapped his head. "Being a former villain has definitely given me... _certain advantages_ in situations like this. To _catch_ a villain, you have to _think_ like a villain. And I'm sure that your men will be on the alert. We wouldn't want anything to happen to our Empress or the Princess Regent now, would we?"

Everyone nodded their heads in unison.

Drakken looked confused. "Uh, when you nod your heads, you _do_ mean that you agree with me that we _don't_ want anything to happen to Warmonga or Shego, correct?"

Everyone slyly looked at the other and again nodded their heads vigorously.

"That's what I thought, just checking. Very well, then. Keep me informed of any further developments."

Drakken confidently strode out of the room. As soon as the door was closed, Battlefox hissed, "Well, what now, WarRaptor?"

Wolfenstrike likewise looked very worried. "Yes, especially since the Great Blue is apparently familiar with each of these devices. And if Grallx is somehow apprehended, he'll be happy to implicate us all in order to save his own gray hide!"

But WarRaptor merely smiled and held up a confident hand for quiet. "Calm yourselves, my quaking minions, everything is still proceeding according to plan. Grallx has already rendezvoused with one of our military transports under my personal command and will be arriving in a week's time. I guarantee that he'll have no trouble once he arrives, so we can certainly carry out the Great Blue's orders regarding the inspection of any _foreign_ spacecraft without any problem whatsoever. And I've already taken into consideration the fact that these devices are well known to him. That's why we'll be able to directly implicate him once Warmonga, Shego and Kim Possible simply... disappear."

As they all rose to leave, WarRaptor began to laugh, his cackle continuing to echo ominously through the room.

_**TBC...**_


	8. Hunters and Hunted

_A galaxy of thanks this week to all who are reading, and to Jimmy1201, Bookworm Gal, CajunBear73, Sentinel103, AlphaSeymour, Reader101w, readerjunkie, Eddy13, Oreochema, Tito-Mosquito, Katsumara, LTAOZFAN, Xiious and Linzerj for your reviews. Sorry for the long time between postings, but I trust the wait will have been been worth it. Now for "Passage to Parfa," or, "A Hunting Shego Will Go." Enjoy!_

* * *

Shego walked through the door of her split-level home on Lorwardia. Or did Drew still insist on calling it a lair? She found him working feverishly in the basement laboratory, attempting to complete yet another incredible new device.

"What's up, O Great Blue Inventor?"

"Urghh. Just trying to finish..."

His wrench slipped, scraping a knuckle in the process.

"Ow! That smarts!"

Even in pain, he had a triumphant look on his face.

"The UltraTerraformulator! I've finally found a way to combine my super plant mutagen with Wacky Wally's 3000 XLS!"

"You mean that weather machine we tried to take over Canada with that one time?"

"One in the same, Shego. This will be my greatest _non_-doomsday machine, _ever_!"

He continued to gloat, "And once perfected, it should cut my previous terraforming time in half!"

Shego found herself falling back into her old, well worn patterns as she began to snark back, "Wow, Dr. D. If I had a nickel for every time one of your devices actually worked, well, I wouldn't know what to do with all that money."

Drakken cocked an eyebrow and replied, "Shego, you forget that I can tell now when you're being serious as opposed to being merely sarcastic."

But instead of continuing to grouse, he merely shrugged as he smiled warmly back at her. "But that really doesn't matter as much as it used to, since it won't change my feelings about you anyway."

She held her arms akimbo in mock frustration as she groused back, "Hey, what are you trying to do, Doc? Spoil all my fun?"

But she did have to admit to herself that most of her past snarking had undoubtedly been for the sheer pleasure it gave her in getting a rise out of him.

"Not at all, Shego. Besides, as long as I know that you're only having a little fun at my expense, I probably won't be suffering any _physical_ injury from you at that particular moment."

Shego let out a chuckle. "Yeah, you got _that_ right, Doc."

"Anyway, if I can get this thing to work, I may be able to finally solve our sugar production problems. But first I'll need to pick up a few items at the local Smarty Mart in order to complete my monstrosity... er, masterpiece."

"What, so you didn't bring along all of the spare parts from your previous inventions when we moved here?"

Drakken's shoulders slumped. "Oh dear. Did I accidentally leave something else behind when we left that last time-share lair of ours back on Earth?"

"Well, now that you mention it..."

She smiled to herself, remembering some of the stuff Dr. D _had _actually left behind, like the derelict parts to his original Bebe-bots. She was pleased by that, however. The fact that Drew had forgotten his failed faux female creations signified that he had indeed turned an emotional corner, and was content enough with his relationship with her to leave those ancient playthings totally behind.

"Uh, you were saying, Shego? You actually looked happy about something just then."

His voice broke her reverie as she continued, "Never mind. I just wanted to let you know that Warmonga and I need to do a little recon regarding this shapeshifter guy. We'll be on the moon of Parfa for a few days, so you're in charge of the planet in the meantime. Just don't blow it up accidentally while we're gone?"

Drakken rolled his eyes. "Yes my dearest, I'll try."

"And keep it under your hat. We don't want anyone to know that we're off planet. With luck, I'll be back in a week."

She gave him a rather lengthy deep kiss, causing him to drop his wrench on the floor with a clang.

She broke the embrace, looking back at him with a sly look. "Just something to tide you over until I'm back."

Parfa was only a few day's journey away as well as on a regular trade route, so there was little trouble in making the trip. Soon, the huge gas giant appeared on the viewscreen, its one inhabitable moon glowing bright blue green against its much larger parent.

Shego observed, "Huh, Parfa looks kinda like our planet Jupiter."

Warmonga nodded in agreement. "Yes, and its only moon shares many features with your Earth, both in size and ratio of land to water area. But it orbits around Parfa much faster than your moon does. The tectonic stress caused by this makes it a geologically active world, with many volcanoes and frequent landquakes, as well as a highly tropical climate."

"So, just how big are these Thorgoggles I've heard so much about?"

"About thirty feet long from snout to tail, and fifteen feet tall on the average, although some have been known to reach twenty feet in height."

Shego's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. "Uh, sorry I asked. I guess that's why the sentient life there developed shape-changing abilities, just to stay alive."

Warmonga replied offhandedly, "Yes, and in the not-so-distant past we hunted _them_ as well, especially for the challenge they provided."

Shego turned a shade greener at the thought of that particular piece of information.

"However, agreements were reached later with the Parfans, as they turned out to be excellent guides for our Thorgoggle hunts."

Shego looked only slightly relieved as the space cruiser entered the moon's atmosphere, quickly descending through the clouds. After landing, they stepped out of the ship and onto the platform of what passed for a spaceport. It consisted basically of a simple landing pad and a few rather ancient-looking buildings. A rather decrepit gray humanoid stepped out of one of them, bowing deeply to the visitors.

"Welcome, gracious hunters! I am your most humble servant, Fribbx. How may I be of service?"

The Lorwardian responded imperiously, "I am Warmonga, Empress of Lorwardia. And this is my Princess Regent, Shego."

Shego gave Fribbx a half-hearted smile. "Charmed."

He gushed, "Yes! You've both been eagerly expected. Your quarters are already prepared, the finest that our humble world can provide to such esteemed visitors. Please to follow me."

He turned and led them up a well-trodden path. Up the small rise was a slightly newer building marked with two lines of cryptic writing. The one above was written in Lorwardian, the line below apparently in Parfan. Shego surmised that it must be the name of the establishment.

Warmonga declared, "The Hotel Parfa, our home away from home."

Shego looked a bit non-plussed, as the size of the building looked no bigger than an average Bueno Nacho.

"Hmm, not very big. I've been in some time-share lairs larger than this."

Warmonga grinned knowingly. "I believe Earth has a saying, appearances can be deceiving."

As they walked through the door, their eyes met a short flight of descending stairs that opened up into the expansive first floor foyer of the hotel. The floors appeared to be made of polished granite inlaid with multicolored marble, while large tropical plants brightened up either side of the ultrawide hallway. Huge tapestries adorned the walls, depicting the moon's history as well as its various flora and fauna.

Now suitably impressed, Shego commented, "Wow. If this were a lair, Dr. D would be green with envy."

Fribbx beamed with pride. "Yes, we have spared no expense in building one of the finest hotels in the quadrant. Because of our world's tectonic and volcanic activity, we decided long ago to build below ground rather than above. Not only is there much less chance of building collapse, but it offers greater protection against those pesky volcanic fumes. And our excellent air-conditioning is the envy of the galaxy."

He continued with a chuckle. "And it also provides impenetrable protection from our world's all too famous predators."

Fribbx pointed to one of the tapestries, which displayed a band of noble Parfans defending themselves against what appeared to be a giant Thorgoggle. Judging by their comparative size, the beast must have been better than twenty feet in height. Covered with multicolored scales, it looked like a cross between a dragon and a lion. Topped with a fearsome head, its slavering maw was filled with razor-sharp teeth. Its ribbed mane was fully extended in an effort to cow its prey into submission, should its huge size alone be insufficient to accomplish that task.

Shego looked on in wonder. "Wow, and you actually _hunt_ these things?"

Warmonga shrugged offhandedly. "Yes, they make for good sport."

"Well, if you say so, but I get my jollies at considerably less risk to life and limb."

The Lorwardian smoothly replied, "And does that include traveling to a distant planet in order to rescue your battlemate, engaging in hand-to-hand combat in a life-or-death struggle with a Lorwardian almost twice your size?"

Shego grinned back, "Well, I won, didn't I?"

Warmonga unconsciously rubbed the arm that had nearly been fractured by Shego in their fierce battle of the year before.

"Point taken, Green One. But now Shego is Warmonga's ally, as we seek the truth regarding this shapeshifter. And perhaps together we can hunt a Thorgoggle. Its huge spine would make a worthy trophy on the wall of your lair, and might even give you a bargaining chip should you have a spat with the Great Blue."

Shego considered that. "So, I guess you and Warhok had, uh, lover's quarrels at times?"

The Lorwardian threw her head back with a huge laugh. "Yes, you could say that. But once blood was drawn, we usually calmed down."

The look on Shego's face indicated that no further details were necessary about _that_, and she quickly changed the subject.

"Well, after we check in, let's hit the bar."

But the Empress warned, "Oooh, Warmonga considers that unwise. Parfans frown on vandalism, even by Lorwardians, and we would be charged for any needed repairs."

Shego merely sighed in exasperation as they were shown to their rooms.

A few minutes later, they sauntered into the hotel's well-appointed lounge, hoping to find some information regarding the mysterious shapeshifter as well as some liquid refreshment. The two sat down at a table and ordered. While they were waiting for their drinks, two Parfans began walking toward them.

Shego whispered, "Just follow my lead."

Warmonga nodded back as the first Parfan began speaking. "Mind if we join you?"

Shego shrugged. "Hey, it's a free planet."

The two men smiled and sat down. The other Parfan observed, "You ladies look like you might be here for some big game hunting."

Shego shot back, "Hey! Who're you calling a lady?"

Warmonga responded in kind, flexing one of her massive biceps.

The Parfan's jaw dropped open in fear, and Shego smiled inwardly at his discomfiture.

But the other easily continued, "Apologies, we meant no disrespect. We merely wish to point out that if you're here to hunt Thorgoggle, you'll need a tracker."

Warmonga sneered, "Do we _look_ like we need a tracker?"

The Parfan smoothly replied, "Perhaps not, but as tracking is our livelihood, can you blame us for asking?"

Warmonga nodded, impressed by the Parfan's courage. Shego answered him, "Not at all. But there _is_ something you might be able to help us with. Have you heard of any Parfans traveling offworld in search of..."

She paused, not wanting to say 'secret weapons.'She whispered instead, "Uh, any _scientific artifacts, _say, from the Planet Earth for example?"

The second Parfan immediately tensed up, while the first effortlessly responded, "That depends. Who's asking?"

Warmonga rose imperiously from the table and emphatically declared, "Empress Warmonga of the Lorwardians, victor in the Battle of the Thirteen Moons of Jingos! And Shego, Princess Regent of Lorwardia!"

Every conversation in the bar suddenly stopped at Warmonga's proclamation, and all eyes were now focused on the nine-foot-tall Lorwardian. Shego's face was already buried in her hands with embarrassment.

"Well, so much for trying to stay incognito..."

Without missing a beat, the first Parfan continued. "I see. We may have indeed heard of such a Parfan. I believe my clan may have had dealings with the clan of the individual of whom you seek, and their location is merely a half day's journey from here. We can take you there, and with luck, we may even spot a Thorgoggle along the way for your hunting pleasure. Would our standard tracker rates be acceptable to your Highnesses?"

Warmonga gave him a patronizing nod as he bowed in acknowledgment.

"We shall then be pleased to meet you both outside at sunrise. A good night's sleep will certainly be conducive to a good hunt."

Warmonga answered haughtily, "Very well, sunrise it shall be. We shall be prepared."

Shego muttered under her breath, "Yeah, and I'll wear a flower in my hair."

As the two Parfans left, Shego frowned, feeling a little uneasy at how everything had fallen into place so quickly.

"Warmonga, I have to admit I don't get a warm fuzzy feeling from these guys. That seemed way too easy."

But Warmonga simply waved her off her doubts. "Do not concern yourself, Green One. Together we are much more than a match for these puny Parfans. And none would dare raise a hand against royal blood without risking fearsome consequences."

Shego remained wary, however. "Well, if you say so. But I'd sleep with one eye open if I were you."

Warmonga looked perplexed at the statement. "But why should I sleep..."

Shego quickly raised a hand to halt Warmonga's inevitable question. "Let's put it another way, shall we? You watch my back, and I'll watch yours."

She raised her glass in a toast to the Lorwardian. "Cheers!"

Now finally understanding, Warmonga smiled in agreement as they each began enjoying their first round of drinks.

* * *

The next morning dawned under heavy overcast, the Parfan sun blotted out both by the early morning jungle mist and a nearby volcano venting out powerful jets of steam. The two Parfans were right on time, their large airtruck fully equipped for the hunt.

Shego was immediately impressed by its size. "Wow, is this thing big, or what?"

The Parfan beamed proudly. "Yes, our vehicle can carry not only one, but _two_ full size Thorgoggles. And two such obviously powerful warriors as yourselves should have no problem in filling up our humble airtruck with the carcasses of your magnificent prey."

Shego snarked, "Uh, do you always speak in superlatives, or do you just charge extra for them?"

The Parfan shrugged. "Hey, it comes with the territory. Most Lorwardians love it."

Shego nodded. "Fair enough. But if you hadn't noticed, I'm human."

The other Parfan immediately looked quite nervous, but continued loading the females's weapons and supplies into the airtruck. Soon they were airborne, and the large craft lazily flew along uneventfully for several hours. Shego whiled the time away by filing the claws on her gloves to razor sharp points while viewing the beautiful, verdant forests quickly passing below them.

Warmonga was still sleeping off the considerable amount of alcohol she had consumed the night before, but Shego thought it wise to wake her and ask a few questions.

"Uh, Empress?"

Warmonga woke with a start. "Uh, yes? What is it? Have we arrived?"

"Not yet. But I thought I'd ask you about these Thorgoggles before we actually start hunting one. I always like to be prepared."

"A wise decision. Warmonga will be happy to explain them to you."

She began speaking in deadly earnest.

"They are very large and extremely quick. Their hides are quite thick and impervious to most standard weapons. Our weapon of choice is the power lance, with its highly focused energy beam. Every Thorgoggle has three eyes, and each must be blinded first with your lance before you will have the chance to strike a fatal blow. Otherwise, their speed in the attack can overwhelm even the quickest huntress. Even blinded, their acute sense of smell and hearing are still enough to keep them quite dangerous. The venom in their tails can instantly paralyze an unwary pursuer, and their rapacious teeth are strong enough to easily shred even the thick skin of a Lorwardian."

Shego agreed, "Yeah, and I know how thick-skinned you Lorwardians can be. Uh, no offense."

Warmonga grinned back, "None taken."

"So, why don't you just blast its head off with your power lance and be done with it?"

"Oooh, bad idea. Their circulatory systems are powered by not one but _two_ hearts, and if an artery is slashed open, they can spew their poisonous blood over a distance of many yards. Their ichor is likewise highly acidic, and can cause serious burns should it come in contact with your skin."

Shego was dumbfounded. "Wow, I had no idea how tough these creatures were to kill. So even in death they can do you some serious damage, huh?"

"That is why their spines are so highly prized. Only the bravest of warriors can successfully take down these creatures, and live to tell about it."

"Thanks for the warning. So what's the trick to doing 'em in?"

"Only the narrow, concentrated blast of a power lance to each of their hearts can subdue the creature. Once dead, their blood can be carefully drained and the carcass safely handled."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Suddenly, the two Parfans began speaking to each other in hushed tones and pointing out the window. Shego's suspicions immediately kicked into high gear.

"Hey you two, what's going on?"

She was answered by a powerful blast of compressed air, as each of their seats were ejected from the airtruck.

As the two offworlders floated to the ground beneath the parachutes of their ejection seats, Shego screamed out, "Those _bastards_!I _knew_ we shouldn't have trusted them!"

As soon as they landed, they each hit their strap releases. Shego wasted no time in firing off several powerful plasma bolts at the Parfan's departing airtruck, finally scoring a direct hit. The craft began to smoke as it went down over the next rise, hitting the ground with a dull thump.

"Got 'em! C'mon, Empress. Hopefully we can recover our power lances before..."

In the distance, the ground began to tremble with the sound of heavy footsteps, reverberating through the forest as they rapidly approached.

"Uh, oh."

The sound of massive branches being broken as easily as matchsticks echoed through the clearing, followed by the terrifying roar of a Thorgoggle as it burst through the trees.

"Too late."

The huge creature spotted them instantly, unleashing another terrible roar.

Shego whispered, "If we just keep real still, do you think it won't spot us?"

But the beast's three eyes instantly focused on the two interlopers as it angrily approached them.

"I guess not. RUN FOR IT!"

Shego and Warmonga took off with the Thorgoggle in hot pursuit.

Warmonga yelled, "Quickly! Into the forest!"

But before dashing into the underbrush, Shego turned long enough to get off a clear shot at the humongous creature. It screamed in anger as her plasma bolt caught it on the edge of its slavering snout. For a moment, it stopped its pursuit as the two females made their way up the hill and deeper into the dense forest.

Shego panted, "I think I may have slowed it down a little."

But no sooner had she uttered that hopeful statement than the creature lifted its head, letting out a fierce call consisting of three short bellows. Off to their right, another Thorgoggle replied in kind.

"Then again, maybe not..."

A moment later, a third Thorgoggle to their left responded with its hideous triple cry.

"Aw, crap. That can't be good..."

Warmonga gleefully proclaimed, "They are calling to each other in an attempt to surround us. If they succeed, we shall die in glorious battle!"

Shego groused, "So, Empress, the hunters have become the hunted, huh? And by the way, you're the only person I know who can make our impending deaths sound like a _good _thing."

"Yes! To die in glorious battle is a Lorwardian's highest honor."

Shego growled back, "Sorry, but it's not mine. This is _so_ not a good day to die. And if I get my hands on those Parfans for stranding us in the middle of a pack of Thorgoggles, they're going to wish they had never been born!"

They quickly reached the crest of the wooded hill, spotting the crashed airtruck below. One of the Thorgoggles was carefully sniffing over the wreck.

Shego sighed, "Well, I guess that nixes retrieving our lances for the moment."

Warmonga grabbed her sidearm. "Indeed. I shall have to make do with this."

Shego likewise opened her ankle pouch, retrieving a similar weapon.

Warmonga smiled in satisfaction. "Ah! Often has Warmonga wondered what you kept in there."

"Well, I keep my purse and makeup there too, but I don't think I'll be needing them at the moment. So, what's the plan?"

"Warmonga will attempt to draw the Thorgoggle away from the airtruck, while you retrieve our power lances."

"Uh, that sounds a little dicey, don't you think? How about if we..."

But Warmonga had already begun charging down the hill firing at the beast, yelling out with a powerful war cry of her own.

"WAR! MON! _GAHHHH!_"

The Thorgoggle winced under each hit of her blaster, but ignored what were basically pinpricks against its tough hide. With a roar, it began chasing Warmonga as she raced away in the other direction.

Shego huffed, "Or not. Oh, well..."

She bounded down the hill, but not quickly enough. A second Thorgoggle had appeared and interposed itself between her and the airtruck. It gave a low growl deep in its throat as it fixed its baleful stare on the green-skinned human. Shego stopped short, crouching down only twenty feet away from the fearsome creature.

"Niiiice Thorgoggle. So, ya think I'm gonna be your lunch today? Well, guess again!"

Shego fired her weapon just as the beast began to charge, expertly taking out one of its eyes. She jumped aside just in time, somersaulting onto the ground as it swiftly passed by her, barely avoiding the sting of the monster's poisonous tail.

She quickly stood up and loudly declared to the sky, "Hey! Remember when I said I wanted a little more excitement in my life? Well, _I take it back!_"

At that moment, Warmonga was likewise embroiled in deadly combat. She had taken out two of the creature's three eyes, but it had now backed her into a rocky corner. The top was too high to leap onto, and the walls too slick to climb. Besides, the beast would have easily grabbed her even if she had tried. With most of her options gone, she quickly decided on a desperate move.

With a terrific leap, she somersaulted into the air, taking out its last eye with a deft shot and landing squarely on its back. Jamming her blaster into its neck, she began firing non-stop. The Thorgoggle roared in pain, desperately trying to shake the persistant Lorwardian off its back. With one last terrific thrash, Warmonga was thrown painfully into the rocky wall. But the Thorgoggle had had enough for one day, and to Warmonga's great relief, it slowly lumbered away. As soon as she caught her breath, she rushed back to assist Shego.

In the meantime, Shego had tried taking out the Thogoggle's other two eyes, but the beast was moving its head too quickly for her to get a clear shot. She quickly changed her tactics, hitting her adversary with multiple plasma blasts, but its hide was too tough for her area bursts. She decided her only chance was to retrieve the purpose-built power lances from the airtruck's exterior weapons compartment and defeat it with with a concentrated shot. She tried once more to get around the Thorgoggle, but she wasn't as quick as the first few times, the monster backhanding her with one of its immense claws as it passed. Even worse, her sidearm went flying, landing in a stream with a sickening splash.

"Oh, just great. Now what?"

She tried several percussive plasma shots to its huge head in the hope of either blinding or deafening the beast, but it easily shook each one off, appearing more irritated than injured. The Thorgoggle stopped, and with a loud bellow unfurled its scaly mane to its fullest extension. As it looked at her, she could have sworn it was smiling.

"Oh, yeah? Come and get me, if you've got the guts!" She was thankful at least that this dragon-like creature didn't breath fire too.

With one final deafening roar, the Thorgoggle leapt at her, its huge drooling maw wide open.

Defiant to the last, she furiously yelled, "_Eat hot plasma, you overgrown chameleon!_"

Shego fired the largest plasma bolt she could manage straight down the monster's immense throat. The beast's mouth snapped closed over its razor-sharp teeth, missing her by only inches. But its momentum was enough to carry it right over her, knocking her painfully to the ground. The Thorgoggle landed with a heavy thump and immediately turned around for another attack. But it hesitated, looking back at her with a surprised expression on its face. Suddenly, the dull thud of an explosion was heard deep from within it, briefly distending the creature's gigantic body. It collapsed to the ground with a terrific crash, acrid smoke pouring out of his now lifeless mouth.

Shego exhaled in relief as she got up and brushed herself off. "Well, that's Shego: One, Thorgoggle: Zero."

Warmonga came rushing up. "Shego, you are uninjured? I was greatly concerned for your safety."

"Yeah, fortunately I'm still in one piece, but just barely."

A quick movement off to her left grabbed their attention. "Look!"

One of the Parfans had exited the airtruck and was trying to escape, but the third Thorgoggle had already spotted him and was in quick pursuit. Using his shapeshifting ability, he quickly morphed into a rock and tried to remain as still as possible. The hungry beast slowly approached him, carefully sniffing at the disguised Parfan. But he could not disguise his heavy breathing, and somewhere deep within the Thorgoggle's primitive mind, it realized that rocks do not breathe. With a loud roar, it snatched up the hapless Parfan, easily tossing him into the air and swallowing him in a single gulp. The creature then turned and approached them.

The two tired warriors wasted no time in retrieving their power lances, and as the huge beast rushed at them, they both began firing away at full power. Now under assault with effective weaponry, the Thorgoggle slowly began giving ground beneath the withering attack. Then, deciding that another meal wasn't worth this amount of punishment, it began slowly loping away to lick its wounds.

Shego panted, "The next time we go hunting together, remind me to bring along a tactical nuke just to be on the safe side."

Warmonga laughed in response and declared, "You have done well, Green One. A singlehanded victory over a Thorgoggle in unarmed combat is extremely rare, even for a Lorwardian. And thus you have earned your new appellation: WarShego, victor in the Battle of the Moon of Parfa!"

Grinning back, Shego chuckled, "WarShego? Sounds kinda cool, actually. Drew will love it."

She tapped her chin and recited, "WarShego, the Great Green and Princess Regent of Lorwardia. Hmm, a little wordy, but I'll get used to it. So, let's get out of here before any other Thorgoggles decide they'd like to have us for dessert."

They quickly checked over the airtruck's exterior, thankful that the damage appeared relatively minor.

Shego announced, "Well, the landing runners are pretty bent up from the crash landing, but it looks like I only hit its antigrav stabilizer. If it's anything like Dr. D's aircar, I may me able to fix it before our playmates come back."

Twenty minutes later Shego had completed the repairs, while Warmonga had secured the Thorgoggle's carcass in the the back of the airtruck. But as they entered the crew compartment, a blaster shot suddenly whizzed by Shego's ear, singeing her hair.

"Damn! We forgot about the other Parfan!"

Warmonga leapt into the cockpit, grabbing the Parfan by the throat and lifting him into the air. He dropped his weapon, desperately trying to morph into the colors of the airtruck's interior, but Warmonga's grasp was unrelenting.

"Stop that at once, or Warmonga shall surely snap your neck! Why have you tried to kill us? _Speak!_"

The Parfan ceased his struggling as he gasped for breath. "We were promised... that once the Lorwardian Star Empire... was reconstituted... Parfa would remain free..."

Warmonga growled, "Your world _is_ already free, you fool! Who promised you this?"

He choked out, "I don't know... only that they were... Lorwardians..."

"Who are these renegades that make these baseless promises?" She squeezed his neck even tighter. "And be quick about it, Warmonga's patience runs short!"

"Never saw them... Only our clan leader... met with them..."

"And what is the name of the Parfan who searches offworld for these mysterious Terran devices?"

"Grallx... his name is Grallx..."

"And where is he now?"

"Don't know... Only my clan leader... knows of these things... Please, do not kill me..."

Warmonga tossed him onto the deck. "Then take me to clan leader. Now."

The Parfan gasped for breath. "But he would kill me!"

The Lorwardian smiled dangerously. "And you believe that Warmonga will not?"

He slowly rose, determined to face his final demise with honor. "Better a quick death than a slow one."

Warmonga scratched her chin in thought. "Hmm, very well, then. Warmonga therefore declares a Hunt. You have a five minute head start, in accordance with the Old Ways."

Without hesitation, the Parfan shot out of the hatch and began running across the field.

Shego immediately grabbed Warmonga's arm. "Whoa, wait a minute! You're letting him _go_?"

She answered her question with a wolfish smile. "Only to be _tracked_, WarShego."

"_What!_ You're not telling me we're gonna track him down and _kill_ him, are you?"

She let out a low chuckle. "No, but _he_ does not know that. And in accordance with the Old Ways, he gains his life by successfully returning to his sanctuary, and his clan. We need merely to follow him home, and then we shall gain from his clan leader the answers that we seek."

Shego breathed a sigh of relief. "Hey, good plan actually." But she again frowned as she asked, "But you're not going to kill his clan leader _instead_, are you?"

Warmonga shook her head. "No, the entire clan will be tried in compliance with the rules set out in the Earth/Lorwardian Accords. And Parfa will be spared, as long as only this one clan is involved."

* * *

A half hour later, the exhausted Parfan ran into his clan's hideout, collapsing into a chair. The clan leader rushed into the room.

"What are you doing here? Was your mission successful?"

The Parfan replied, "No. The Empress and the human defeated all three Thorgoggles, then declared a Hunt. I barely made it back here in time."

Outside, the sound of an airtruck could be heard approaching.

The clan leader gasped, "You fool! Do you realize what you've done? You've led them right to us! By the rules of the Old Ways, _you_ may be safe, but the rest of us are all dead men!"

He sighed in deep resignation. "There's only one thing left to do now."

The clan leader walked slowly over to the control panel on the wall, taking the protective cover off of three switches. He flipped them each in turn, and the middle button began to glow cherry red.

As he pushed the button, he intoned, "Long live Parfa..."

Outside, the two warriors had spotted the well-camouflaged hideout just as the Parfan had entered. They quickly landed and rushed toward the entrance.

Warmonga shot Shego a satisfied grin. "We have them now, WarShego."

But no sooner had she spoken, than a bright yellow tongue of flame erupted from the underground lair, followed by the terrific shockwave caused by its destruction.

Shego grimaced, "Well, there goes our best lead."

Warmonga smiled grimly. "Yes, but we do not leave empty-handed. We have uncovered a plot by Lorwardian traitors, and we now have the name of our shapeshifting thief. With luck, the Great Blue will be able to capture him before long."

Shego wagged her head, recalling all the times he had tried, and failed, to capture Kim Possible. "As much as I love the guy, don't count on it."

_Especially when traitorous Lorwardians are involved..._

* * *

A few days later, a triumphant Shego walked back through the door of her split-level home on Lorwardia.

Drakken cheerfully greeted her. "Welcome back, Shego! How was your trip? Were you able to..."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise as several Lorwardians dragged in Shego's huge trophy.

She pointed at a bare spot on the wall. "Hang it right over there, would you please?"

As they complied with her request, Drakken gasped, "What in the world is _that_?"

Shego cheerfully replied, "Oh, just something I picked up on the moon of Parfa. It's a Thorgoggle spine. And I finished the beast off all by myself, singlehandedly. And with only my plasma! Impressed?"

Drakken remembered the humongous spine of a similar Thorgoggle that he had seen gracing the wall of Warmonga's quarters the year before. Along with several... _other _trophies.

"Ulp." He instantly paled before stuttering out, "Uh, yes, Shego. Very impressed."

She gave him a smug look as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Good. And that's _WarShego_ now, my little snarfgribble."

Immensely pleased with herself, the raven-haired huntress continued to smile back at him from beneath hooded eyes, as her now very frightened husband broke out in a cold sweat.

He mumbled back, "Uh, yes, of course. I'll try to remember that..."

As she pulled him into a deep embrace and even deeper kiss, Drakken thought to himself,_ "And you can be sure that I will never forget your birthday or our anniversary, EVER..."_

**_TBC..._**


	9. Cheer Practice

_I couldn't find the word for_ '_thanks_'_ in my Lorwardian/English dictionary this week, but nevertheless wanted to acknowledge all the great reviews from Sentinel103, AlphaSeymour, CajunBear73, Krystalslazz, Bookworm Gal, Oreochema, Jimmy1201, Eddy13, AnimationNut, Tito-Mosquito, readerjunkie, Reader101w, Katsumara and whitem, as well as all of you out there reading. And leave a review, I promise a reply. Now, let's see how things are going back on Terra Firma..._

* * *

_Middleton, one week earlier..._

The former Middleton High cheerleaders and its newest member were hard at work practicing their new routine in the school gym, while Ron glowed blue with mystical energy as he wildly somersaulted around them. Rufus also joyfully danced about while Kim looked on with approval.

The crack cheer squad yelled out in perfect unison, "P–L–A! N–E–T! E–A–R–T–H! Goooooo _Terrans_!"

But as she dismounted from the top of the pyramid, Bonnie nearly slipped in a puddle of banana-flavored mouth foam that Ron had inadvertently spewed across the floor of the gym. Fortunately, Rufus was right there to lap up the delicious mess before anyone could accidentally skid on it.

The prickly cheerleader instantly fumed, "Stoppable! Do you mind keeping your gooey mess to yourself? Someone could get hurt, and it better not be me!"

Ron merely smiled and gave her an apologetic shrug, while Rufus giggled mischievously. "Sorry, Bonnie. But it's real hard to suppress my essential Ronness, especially when my Mystical Monkey Power kicks in."

"Freaky baboon power is more like it," Bonnie growled with a scornful roll of her eyes.

Ron shot back, "Hey, that's _buffoon_, and don't you forget it!"

Bonnie turned to Kim with a huff and snidely asked, "Well, what do you think of the routine, K? Is it up to your usual im-_possibly_ high standards?"

Kim wisely refused to rise to Bonnie's verbal challenge, effortlessly redirecting Bonnie's snarky comment. "Yeah, looking real good, team! You'll make Earth proud, and the Lorwardians will definitely have to work overtime to match your spankin' polish and skill."

She turned and began walking away, with a still miffed Bonnie following close behind.

"But what about _my_ leadership, Kim? They couldn't have done it without _me_."

Just as she rounded the corner, Kim turned toward her former adversary. "That's right Bonnie, they couldn't have. But they also couldn't have pulled together as well and so quickly unless they'd been led that way in years past."

She thumbed her hand to her chest to underscore the point. "And that was thanks to _me_, by the way."

Bonnie simply glared back at Kim, anger seething from behind her haughty eyes.

But Kim's visage softened a bit as she continued, "But I don't know of anyone who could lead them better than you at _this_ particular moment, Bonnie. Without a doubt, I know that you'll do Earth proud."

The unexpected compliment brought the testy cheerleader up short.

Kim continued with a cheeky smile, "And don't forget that when Connie and Lonnie find out, they'll both be _ferociously_ jealous of you for as long as they live, Bonnie. I know they were both Middleton cheerleaders before we attended there, but _you_ get to lead our squad on a distant planet. Let's see them match _that_."

The positive comparison between Bonnie and her eternally condescending sisters broke something deep inside the cheerleader, and she reacted in an unusual way. As her eyes began to tear up, she suddenly gave Kim a big hug.

"Thanks, Kim. That's the nicest thing you could have possibly said."

Surprised by her abrupt turnaround, Kim carefully responded, "Uh, you're welcome, Bonnie. And I really do mean it. It's not just anybody I'd ask to lead the cheer squad at a time like this."

As Bonnie wiped away a tear from her well-tanned cheek, she pleaded, "Just don't let anyone know that I started to, uh, cry about this, okay? It would totally ruin my hard-earned reputation as a..."

"Snarky bitch?"

Ron had just silently appeared from behind her, while Kim looked on with shock at her husband's brutally honest comment.

"_Ron!_"

But he quickly explained his apparent insult. "Hey, I have my essential Ronness, and Bonnie has her essential snarkiness. And in some kinda mystical yin and yang kinda way, these two great cosmic powers have to be kept in balance, right Bonnie?"

The teal-eyed cheerleader quickly agreed. "Exactly, Stoppable! It's about time_ someone _finally figured that out."

A relieved Kim replied, "So, uh, no problem with Ron's little comment then?"

"Not at all, K," replied the smug coed. "Besides, I'm proud of the truth."

Kim continued with a giggle, "Good. And don't worry, the secret softer side of Bonnie Rockwaller is safe with us."

As Bonnie turned to rejoin her squad, Kim whispered, "So, how's 'Leona' doing, Ron? She keeping a low profile in the meantime?"

Ron nodded. "Yup, KP. No problems worth mentioning."

She replied with a frown, "That's not exactly reassuring, Ron. Try me."

"Well, what do you expect when you put together a haughty heiress with Queen Bon-Bon? Still, her attitude's not much different than a few of the other ladies on the squad, so she's actually fitting in pretty well."

"Well, that's good to hear at least. So she knows what she needs to do once you all get to Lorwardia?"

"Totally. No worries, KP."

At that moment the gym door opened. Steve Barkin strode in, accompanied by Dr. James Possible.

"All right, people, listen up!"

Everyone immediately looked apprehensively at the fearsome substitute teacher and vice-principal, even though they had all graduated the year before and no longer had anything to fear. But that was all about to change.

James began, "I have some great news for you all concerning the Kepler IV rocket, and I wanted to be the first to share it with you girls."

Kim remembered that her father had mentioned just the night before that the ship was nearly complete. "Dad, how soon did you say it'll be ready for launch?"

"Ten days at the most, Kimmie-cub."

Bonnie snorted reflexively at the pet name Kim just couldn't seem to outgrow (or live down), but said nothing as James continued.

"And after it passes its certification, it should be completely ready for its shakedown cruise." With a happy flourish of his arms he announced, "And its maiden voyage will be to take all of you... on your trip to Lorwardia!"

The entire cheer squad squealed with glee, as James waved for quiet.

"And the ship is just large enough to carry all of you young ladies, plus your luggage needs."

Mr. Barkin added with a growl, "Which, if past bus trips to cheerleading competitions are any indication, will be outrageously huge." He gave James a sidelong sneer. "I just hope your cargo bay's big enough."

James gave an unconcerned wave of his hand. "Oh, my cargo bay will be large enough, nooooo problem."

But worldly wise to the habits of teenage cheerleaders, Barkin muttered back under his breath, "Don't be too sure, Possible."

Ron asked, "Well, that's great Mr. Dr. P, but who's gonna fly it? Kim will already be on Lorwardia, and Shego's there too. Maybe Frederick the Chimpanzee?"

The squad all laughed as James began to blush slightly. "No, this time its going to be _me_. It's about time _I _had a little fun, what with you, Kim and sometimes even Jim and Tim cruising around the galaxy as if it were a Captain Constellation episode."

Ron perked up as a thought crossed his mind. "Ooh! But you're going to need a co-pilot too, aren't you? You'll need potty breaks now and then as well as for snackage, plus some sleep too, am I right?" He continued with flourish of his arm and a deep, ingratiating bow. "So the Ronman graciously volunteers for the job."

Barkin just gave him smug look, knowing that Ron's offer would be effectively crushed in the next few moments.

James looked a little uncomfortable as he replied, "Well, thank you, Ronald, but I think we've got that covered. Besides my need for a co-pilot, we certainly can't have a cheer squad of college coeds flying off to a distant planet with inadequate adult supervision, even if they aren't my own. And I have just the person to fit both roles."

The entire cheer squad gasped as they suddenly realized exactly who that would be.

"That's right people. Lt. Barkin, at your service." He fixed Ron with a grim stare. "And I'm especially keeping my eye on _you_, Stoppable, even if you and Possible _are_ hitched now. There'll be no hanky-panky on this space cruise as long as I have anything to say about it."

Even after the incredible transformations he'd gone through in the past year, Ron found that he could still be intimidated by his former teacher and Smarty Mart co-worker. But he quickly tried to make light of it.

"No problemo, Mr. B. In fact, I'll look forward to your help in keeping all these lovely ladies in line."

As the cheer squad all tittered in response to Ron's cheeky remark, the long-suffering Mr. Barkin slowly shook his head back and forth. "Stoppable, exactly what color is the sky in your world?"

Kim in the meantime had shot Ron a warning look regarding his comment, but he had a smooth answer for both of them.

"Blue, just like yours, Mr. B. Besides, I _only_ share my Ronshine with one other very special lady now. And she's standing right over there."

This brought a relieved look from both Kim and her father, and a general sigh from all the girls present. Save Bonnie of course, who merely rolled her eyes.

A trace of a smile tugged at Kim's lips as she shot Ron a quick thought. "_Nice save, Ron_. _Just don't push it_."

Blushing a bit, Ron smiled back weakly at his wife. "_Roger that, KP. Just having a little fun with Barkin, that's all._"

Kim decided that a change of subject was long overdue. "Gee, Mr. Barkin, I didn't know you had any space flight experience. Especially with an interstellar ship like the Kepler IV."

"Well, I had actually trained as a back-up pilot on some of the first space shuttle missions, until I washed out for a thoroughly ridiculous reason."

"Oh? And what was that?"

Barkin grit his teeth before answering, "Excessive beard growth. I need to shave three times a day, and NASA felt that the power consumption of my heavy duty electric razor would be... _excessive_. And if I _didn't_ shave, that might interfere with my duties on board, especially on extended missions."

Rufus giggled as he sent Ron a humorous thought. "_Gee, I wish I had that problem_..."

James gave Mr. Barkin a friendly pat on the back. "Well, that won't be any problem while you're on board the Kepler IV. We've come a long way since then, and we have power to spare!"

Barkin gave him a long-suffering look. "Don't be too sure about that. I've known these kids all the way through high school, and their hair dryers, curling irons and makeup mirrors can suck up an inconceivable amount of energy. I can't begin to tell you how many heavy duty car batteries have been bled dry by their insatiable electrical appetites."

"Well, we'll just take that as it comes, I suppose." James turned to address his daughter. "But shouldn't you be on your way to the spaceport, Kimmie? The next shuttle to Lorwardia leaves only a few hours from now, and that Lorwardian cheer squad's going to need all the help you can give them in order to keep up with your old squad."

"On my way, Dad. Care to give me a lift to the spaceport, Ron?"

Her husband smiled back, "Your wish is my command, KP."

* * *

An hour later, Kim and Ron were preparing to say their goodbyes at the Middleton Interstellar Spaceport.

"Funny how passenger screening's so much easier on these interplanetary flights than it is on our intercontinental flights to London."

Kim stifled a laugh. "Yeah, that's because the last time a TSA agent asked a Lorwardian to remove his shoes while trying to pass a wand over him, he ended up in the hospital for a couple of months."

Ron grinned, "Yeah, those Lorwardians don't like having their personal space invaded, literally _or_ figuratively."

But his grin soon faded as the first boarding call was made.

"Man, this really tanks, Kim. This is the first time we're gonna be apart for more than a few days since we've been married. I'm really gonna miss you."

Kim looked at her husband, who had the look of a wounded puppy on his face. She was sure she didn't look much better herself.

Kim lied, "It's no big, Ron. It's only, what? Three weeks at the most?"

She smiled as she gently touched her husband's face. "Remember when you went back to Yamanouchi for your final training last year? You were gone for two months, and we managed to survive okay then, right?"

Ron looked deep into Kim's eyes and corrected her. "Two months, four days, eleven hours and forty-two minutes." He heaved a small sigh. "But I don't remember exactly how many seconds."

But a trace of smile appeared as he continued, "Uh, not counting that time me and Rufus visited you in spirit, of course."

Kim brightened up, "Yeah, you really had me going there for a minute, pretending that you were Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Rufus popped out of Ron's pocket and giggled, "_Uh-huh! Dagobah_!"

This lightened the mood as they all began to laugh, but a random thought brought a look of concern to Kim's face. "Now, I _can_ trust you to be alone with eight other beautiful college cheerleaders for three weeks, can't I?"

Ron had already picked up on her stray thought, and smiled back warmly as he symbolically crossed his heart. "No problemo, KP. Mystical Monkey Master's honor. And you can check my memories once we see each other again just to make sure. You know I can't hide anything from you, not that I would ever want to."

He offered her a sly look as he continued in a husky voice, "Besides, once you've been with the best, anyone else would just pale in comparison."

Kim immediately felt a tingle of excitement at his comment, but still persisted. "But what if, say, Bonnie wanted a little taste of your Ronshine like she did when you and she were homecoming king and queen?"

Ron confidently replied, "Well, for starters, that would be _her_ funeral. But let me put it in another way, Kim. When you've had your taste buds tickled by a big slice of Seven Layers of Heaven cake, that kinda deadens the desire for any cheap, second-rate substitute. With heavy emphasis on _cheap_ in Bon-Bon's case."

Kim couldn't help but giggle at Ron's assessment of the prickly cheerleader.

"And anyway, eagle-eye Barkin will be riding shotgun, so even if any of the ladies should be tempted to uh, break the line of scrimmage shall we say, Rufus has standing orders to keep me on the straight and narrow and act as, well, my Left Tackle. Right, little buddy?"

The naked mole rat happily nodded back with complete assurance, popping a tiny football helmet he just happened to have handy onto his head. "_Right! Uh-huh!_"

A gentle wave of relief then enveloped Kim as Ron softly brushed her mind. "_And remember, I'll always be just a bon-diggety thought away._"

Out loud he announced, "So have a great trip, Kim. And good luck training those Lorwardians."

He shivered unconsciously. "And incidentally, I'm glad that it's you and not me on this particular mission. I think that facing them in combat would be easier than training 'em, if you catch my drift."

Kim winced. "Yeah, I think you may be right about that, Ron."

"But if any of those alien amazons get out of hand, I'm sure you'll just use your super-duper uberstrength to keep then in line. You're the legendary Great Red now, ah-booyah. And my wife."

Ron drew Kim into a gentle embrace, giving her a warm hug and an even warmer kiss. Enhanced with just a touch of Mystical Monkey Power, Kim basked in his languorous touch and sighed contentedly, not wanting to let him go quite yet.

"Just a moment longer, for luck?"

Ron nodded, "For luck. And uh, for _other_ reasons, too."

All too soon, the final boarding call was made, and Kim reluctantly released him. As the hatch on the huge Lorwardian space cruiser finally swung closed, she gave Ron a longing glance, sending him a fleeting thought.

"_See you soon_..."

"_Not soon enough, my angel_..."

* * *

A week later, the first trial run of the Kepler IV had gone off without a hitch. James Possible was overjoyed, and even Steve Barkin was cautiously optimistic.

"Well, it looks like this bucket will actually get us all to Lorwardia in one piece. Good job, Possible."

"Thanks, Steve. We've triple-checked all systems, and everything looks A-OK. _Rockets are go!_"

Mr. Barkin winced at the Captain Constellation tagline, but tried to ignore it as he continued, "And a good thing too. The girls are excited, but some of them are a little worried about taking a week-long spaceflight to distant planet in a brand-new spacecraft, even if it is your design. Rockwaller has even nicknamed your little rocket the _Kimtanic_."

He added with a tiny sneer, "Not an auspicious sobriquet, wouldn't you agree?"

James laughed as he replied, "Well, I doubt we'll be encountering any_ icebergs_ on our way to Lorwardia, and every asteroid larger than a golf ball has already been mapped and programmed into our navicomputer. I promise we'll be fine, on my honor as the world's leading rocket scientist."

Barkin nodded, hoping that his trust in Dr. Possible's amazing creation would be ultimately justified. "Just one question, though. What is thing powered by, anyway? I thought that faster-than-light travel wasn't possible."

James proudly looked back at him and declared, "It's powered by a hyperlight engine I created based on the Lorwardian design. And I've nicknamed it the Kimpossibility drive in honor of my precious Kimmie-cub."

He paused for effect. "Because... _nothing's_ impossible for a Possible!"

As James chuckled at his clever quip, Steve Barkin gave him yet another long-suffering look at the mention of his former student.

James continued with a slightly condescending air. "By the way, the engine's core is technically called a singularity. That would be a Black Hole to you, in layman's terms, of course."

Barkin grinned back, "Really? According to the Penrose–Hawking singularity theorem, then. So, is it a space-like or time-like singularity?"

Barkin's astute question caught James off guard. "Uh, time-like, in point of fact."

Barkin smugly continued, "I assume then that it's a charged, rotating mass, per the Kerr-Newman metric? And that its rotational speed somehow controls our hyperlight velocity through the space-time continuum?"

James just stared back slack-jawed at Mr. Barkin, who now looked immensely pleased with himself. "I'm quite impressed, Steve. I had no idea you were so familiar with advanced astrophysics."

The eternal substitute teacher offered a small shrug as he explained, "Well, I have to admit the learning curve was pretty steep after Ms. Hawking was involved in that linear accelerator accident last year, and I had to take over the Middleton High physics department. But that's the story of my life, I suppose..."

* * *

A few days later, Dr. Director called Ron into her office at Global Justice for his final briefing.

"Well, Ron. Just a few more days and you'll all be off to Lorwardia. Now that Kim is on her way to train their cheerleaders, you are now the official liaison between Camille Leon and Global Justice. By the way, how is she fitting in on the team?"

"Just great, Dr. Director. I was afraid her snobbishness might pose a problem, but since most everyone else on the team acts the same way, there's actually been no problemo."

"Excellent. And you two are clear on your mission?"

"Yup. She poses as Grallx in very public places on Lorwardia, and I mentally eavesdrop on anyone's thoughts in the vicinity who are wondering what he, or she, or it..."

Ron's voice tapered off as he scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, do we even know the gender of this Parfan dude? Or maybe it's a dudette?"

Dr. Director smiled back, now used to the occasional derailment of Ron's train of thought, and quickly used one of Kim's frequent catch phrases.

"Focus, Ron."

"Oops, heh-heh. Sorry. Anyway, I'll be able to detect anyone who acts surprised if they see Grallx, and then get a lock on their bon-diggety brainwaves. That'll reveal to me who the perps are on our Who's Who list of bad guys."

"Very good. And once you're on Lorwardia, please provide me with daily reports on your progress, and contact us immediately once the full conspiracy is uncovered."

Ron smirked, "That's a big 10-4. We're ready to get medieval on some alien butt."

Rufus quickly chimed in, "_Yeah! Alien butt!_"

Ron's stomach began to growl. "And once we've succeeded, we'll celebrate with Kim and Camille as we experience the delicious nutricity of a meal at Bueno Nacho #1000 for our reward."

A silly grin broke out on Ron's face as he thought of Kim. "I have no idea of the quality of their cheese on Lorwardia, but I'm sure that the totally badical company will more than make up for it."

Suddenly, the Romunicator on his wrist began urgently beeping. He rarely used it except to keep in touch with Kim, and thought for a moment that it might be her. But a grim-faced Wade appeared on the tiny screen instead.

"Hey, Wade. What's the sitch?"

"Ron, Hirotaka just contacted me. Yori has been in a coma for several weeks. He's... he's afraid she's not going to make it.

He blanched at the grim news, unsteadily falling into a chair.

"But what happened? Why is she in a coma?"

"Hirotaka said she had been on an extended voyage on the astral plane. She... she never made it back."

Rufus gave out a little whimper of dismay as Wade continued.

"I'm sorry I had to be the one to break this to you, Ron. I know you and she were real close."

Ron's thoughts immediately went back to his final training with Yori the year before, and to her brave rescue of him along with Kim's help when he himself was stranded on the astral plane. And to the first time they had joined minds, unavoidably revealing her deepest unspoken secret: that she still loved him.

A spark of hope immediately flared within Ron's mind. "Well, she's not dead yet. And she's not dying if _I _have anything to say about it. If her body is still alive, then her spirit must still be out there, somewhere... Stand by, Wade."

Without another word, Ron began to concentrate deeply, emptying his mind of every inward thought and outward distraction as he focused on one thing and one thing only.

"_Yori_..."

Rufus likewise began to concentrate, and soon both were softly glowing blue as they floated effortlessly above the floor of Dr. Director's office. As they did so, their spirits appeared together on the astral plane.

"_Getting anything, Rufus?_"

"_Not yet, but... there! Did you feel that?_"

A wave of relief washed over Ron's spirit. "_Yes, I sense her presence too_."

"_But this is a nearly infinite amount of space we'll need to search. If we could locate her spiritual cord, we could trace it back to wherever her spirit is and retrieve her. But time is short."_

"_Yeah, little buddy. And there's only one way we can do that..."_

As they both re-entered their physical bodies, Ron clicked his Romunicator back on as he grimly commanded, "Wade, we're gonna need a ride."

Dr. Director was in total awe of what she had just witnessed, but still had the presence of mind to offer her help. "Ron, please rest assured that the total resources of Global Justice are at your command. I can have a hoverjet prepped within ten minutes. But will you have enough time for a round trip to Japan? It's only a few days before the Kepler IV is scheduled to leave on its trip to Lorwardia."

Ron looked stonily at Dr. Director. "I owe my life to Yori, just like I do to Kim. And as important as this mission is, I'd never forgive myself if Yori gave up the ghost as a result, especially if there's any chance at all that I can rescue her."

The GJ chief was impressed by Ron's deep devotion to his friend. "Very well, Ron. I'm sure that I can get Dr. Possible to delay the launch as long as necessary. I'll take care of apprising him of the situation immediately."

"Thanks, Dr. Director. So, what's the top speed of a hoverjet?"

"About 720 miles per hour, just below Mach 1."

Ron quickly asked, "Wade, how far is it to Yamanouchi?"

Wade just as quickly had the answer. "Exactly 5400 miles."

"So that would take us, uh..."

Beads of sweat broke out on Ron's forehead. "Wade, a little help here? Still not very good at doing math in my head."

"No problem, Ron. Seven and a half hours, nonstop. That beats a commercial flight by four hours, not including check-in and TSA screening."

Ron looked down at Rufus, who gave a sad shake of his tiny head.

Ron's frown deepened. "We're gonna need something faster."

Wade carefully thought for a moment, then gave him a sly look. "Give me five minutes, Ron. I may have just the thing..."

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, Ron stepped out of the GJ hoverjet and onto the tarmac of Nellis Air Force base at Groom Lake, Nevada, otherwise known as Area 51.

"Wow, Rufus. After all the times we've been here, this place seems like our home away from home."

He immediately greeted his old friend, General Sims. "Gee, General, I can't tell you how much I appreciate this."

"Think nothing of it, Ronald. I've lost track of how many times you, Kim and Yori have saved the entire planet. It's the least we can do. Besides, Dr. Director said this was a M3-Yankee-slash-SR71-type scenario: Mystical Monkey Master needing immediate supersonic transport to Yamanouchi."

Ron was amazed. "Wow, you have a code for that?"

The general chuckled, "That's an affirmative, Ron. There are few things we _don't _have a code for these days."

Before them stood a SR-71B Blackbird twin-seat reconnaissance jet, fueled and ready for take-off.

Ron queried, "But I thought these planes had been taken out of service ten years ago?"

"They had. But we activated a back-up plan to reinstate them to operational status due to the Lorwardian threat last year, including this two-seater version. The Air Force just, _heh-heh_, conveniently forgot to put them back into mothballs. And they still hold the world airspeed record for the fastest jet aircraft. Your pilot is already on board, and we'll have you at your destination in exactly three hours."

With a smart salute, he handed Ron his helmet, along with a smaller one for Rufus.

"Good luck, gentlemen."

Ron activated his Romunicator and dialed in a rarely used number. A haggard-looking Hirotaka appeared on the tiny screen.

"Stoppable-sama! You received my message?"

"Yes, Hirotaka. Wade's given me the gorchy news. How is she?"

He choked out, "Yori's body is still alive, but she's on complete life-support. I... I do not know how much longer she can last, Stoppable-sama. Please hurry."

Ron tried to put on a brave face. "I'm leaving right now along with Rufus, so hold on. We'll be there in three hours."

He broke the connection as they quickly boarded the craft. A minute later, the sleek black jet roared down the runway on its errand of mercy, destination Yamanouchi.

"I just hope we're not too late, Rufus."

The naked mole rat only offered a tiny whimper in response.

_**TBC...**_


	10. Rescue on the Astral Plane

_My thanks as always to Eddy13, Bookworm Gal, AlphaSeymour, Katsumara, AnimationNut, CajunBear73, Reader101w, readerjunkie, Jimmy1201, Oreochema and Linzerj for their reviews, and everyone else out there continuing to follow this sprawling story, as my many plot lines thread their way together to a climax on Lorwardia and beyond. As always, remember to leave a review and I promise a reply. And now to resolve that little cliffie I left you with last time..._

* * *

As Ron and Rufus flew at Mach 3 over the North Pacific Ocean, both passengers were lost in their own thoughts. But they each had the same person in mind: Yori. As Ron considered the best way to locate her, he reminisced over how he, Rufus and Yori had joined their spirits together within her body to defeat Zorpox the year before. What had they called that strange fusion? Ah, Yoronfus, that was it. They had easily prevailed over Zorpox then, and hopefully the sympathetic vibrations from their unusual union were still strong enough to allow them to locate the beautiful young ninja in the incredible vastness of the astral plane.

Rufus' thoughts were likewise on a similar wavelength, and soon their minds began conversing with the other.

"_Hey, Rufus. Good thing we can chat like this. This jet gets pretty noisy at 1800 mph_."

"_Yes, it does. So you believe as I do that once we enter the astral plane at the same spot that Yori entered, our combined sensitivity to her spirit will allow us to spot her spiritual cord, and from there we'll be able to trace it to wherever she's located?_"

"_You got it, little pal. I just hope we make it in time_."

"_Yes, it's going to be close, but let's look at the bright side. It'll be a great chance for both of us to get away from it all._"

Exactly three hours after take-off, and with Yamanouchi in sight, Ron and Rufus prepared to eject from the SR-71. Rufus sent his best friend a gentle reminder.

"_Checklist, Ron_."

"_Oh, no. Not you too, Rufus?_"

"_Sorry my friend. On this issue I'm in complete agreement with Kim. Pants fastened?_"

"_Check. Half-a-versary belt buckled_."

"_Parachute harness attached?_"

"_Yo_."

"_Reserve chute prepared?_"

"_Check-a-roni_."

"_Okay, then. At your command, my mystical monkey mentor..._"

And with that, they punched out of the plane, floating gently to the ground and making a graceful landing just a few minutes later inside the great courtyard of Yamanouchi. It was deserted except for two young neophytes that had been designated to greet them. They bowed in respectful deference to the Chosen One, and to Rufus, who had been designated rather humorously as the Other Chosen One.

"Uh, guys, where is everybody?"

One of them answered, "In meditation, Master. All others are using their combined skills to locate our Headmistress. Come."

They led Ron and Rufus to Yori's room, where she lay hovering between this world and the next. They were shocked at her appearance. Her face was deathly pale, and tubes stuck out of her arms, providing her with fluids and sustenance in a desperate attempt to keep her body alive. Beside her constantly since she embarked on her quest sat a nearly despondent Hirotaka. But as soon as Ron and Rufus entered, he rallied a bit.

"Stoppable-sama! Thank you both for coming. Many of us have tried to search the astral plane for Yori's spirit, but without success. Either her spirit's cord has faded to invisibility, or else..."

Hirotaka chocked back a sob. "It is too late."

Ron and Rufus looked at the other, determination etched on their faces.

"Not if I can help it, Hirotaka. So don't give up yet. C'mon Rufus, we've got a friend to rescue."

At once, both began to concentrate deeply, projecting their spirits into that mystical location known as the astral plane. Using all the powers at his command, the Mystical Monkey Master began calling into the great beyond.

"_Yori girl? It's Ron-san and Rufus. Where are you?_"

But there was no answer. He tried spotting her cord, but it took several minutes and every iota of his mystical skills to locate. It was still intact as it led off into the far reaches of the astral plane, but its normally bright glow had indeed faded to near invisibility. Even with his heightened powers and attenuation to Yori's spirit, Ron could barely see it directly in front of him.

"_He's right, Rufus. No wonder no one could spot it. And I'm gonna have a hard time following it to the end of the line, no __pun intended_. _If we could just find a way to make it more visible.._."

Rufus reached out and touched the pale strand. "_Hold on,_ _I just got an idea_..."

He immediately tried imparting some of his own mystical monkey energy into the cord. It began to glow dully, but at least it was clearly visible now.

"_Great job, Rufus mah man! You stay here and keep that up for as long as you can_. _Hopefully that will buy Yori enough time for me to find her and bring her back._"

Ron launched himself off into the distance at an ever-increasing speed. "_Hold on, Yori. Help is on the way..._"

Traveling for several hours at a speed greater than thought itself, Ron approached a major nexus. He slowed as he approached it, immediately spotting a limp form floating insensate next to the brightly glowing object. Encouraged that he had finally found her but still still concerned over her condition, he cautiously called out her name.

"_Yori? It's Ron. Can you hear me?_"

She stirred slightly, but remained unconscious. Her glow was dim, but thankfully still visible.

"_Rufus! I've found her. She's still with us, but just barely_."

Rufus answered with relief, "_Thank goodness. Can you tell what happened?_"

"_Hard to tell, but her cord enters this nexus thingy and then comes out the other side, where her spirit is. Her cord's all tangled up on that side, like a fishing line that got reeled in too fast. If we hadn't come along when we did_..."

Ron shuddered at the thought, even here on the astral plane. Gathering Yori in his arms, he began to retrace his path. Proceeding as fast as he dared without further injuring her, they were soon back to their entry point onto the plane. With great relief, they left the awesome beauty of the astral plane behind and all began returning to their bodies in the physical world.

Yori's eyes fluttered open. She tried to focus on the people now hovering over her. Her vocal cords dry from weeks of non-use, she only managed to croak out, "Hiro? Ron-san?"

Tremendously relieved, they both smiled back at her as she continued, "My deepest thanks to you for rescuing me. And to you also, Rufus-sama. I felt your energy strengthen me even as I floated there, unconscious."

Hirotaka queried, "What happened, Yori?"

She took a deep breath before answering, already knowing what Hirotaka's reaction would be. "My spirit was so weakened by my trek to the outer reaches of the astral plane, I did not have the strength to slow down sufficiently once I had reached the nexus. In the collision that followed, my very spirit was knocked unconscious."

Hirotaka chided her, partly in rebuke and partly in relief. "You are most headstrong, Yori, not unlike our former master. You are indeed very fortunate that Stoppable-sama and Rufus-sama were able to locate your spiritual cord and trace it back to where your unconscious spirit lay, and bring you home."

Yori reached out and weakly squeezed each of their hands. "Domo. I owe you all my very life."

As Hirotaka gave her a cup of cool water, Ron queried, "Now, you mind explaining what was so badically _im-por-tan-tay_ that you had to risk your life for it?"

Yori greedily gulped down the water, hoping that her parched throat would hold out long enough to explain. She slowly began, "Ron-san, I've seen Master Sensei."

The shock of surprise was apparent on Ron's face. "Sensei? Are you sure?"

He rolled his eyes at his inane question. "Sorry, of _course _you're sure. You're way too sharp to allow your mind to play tricks on you, especially where Sensei's concerned. But I'm sure he didn't just write his message with mystery meat gravy on the wall of your room."

Yori smiled back weakly, and began to draw strength from the two young men who stood before her. "Hai. It started with a sudden terrible vision of Earth's total destruction. I was positive that this vision was a warning from Master Sensei, so I decided to seek him out to learn more of the prophecy. This compelled me to travel to the farthest reaches of the astral plane."

"Whoa, badical! So, uh, how's he doing?"

"He is quite well, Ron-san, and very content. But he warned me that you were the key to Earth's protection from this terrible event, and that Yamanouchi should grant you all possible help in preventing this catastrophe."

Ron confidently replied, "Well, with Kim's help, along with ol' Rufus here, I'm sure we'll be able to stop whatever this wrongsick event is that's supposed to happen."

At the mention of Kim's name, Yori breathed an almost imperceptible sigh, not wanting to mention that Kim, for whatever reason, might not be available to help.

Ron suggested, "Uh, maybe I could just read your memory of your vision so I can get a better idea of what we're up against?"

Yori immediately tensed up, fearful to share Sensei's ominous prediction regarding Kim. "No, Ron-san. I am... still too weak at the moment. Perhaps when I am stronger..."

"Uh, sure, Yori. But if you're sure that you're gonna be all right, Rufus and I will be needing to return to Middleton, pronto. My old high school cheer squad has been invited to support Earth's sports teams at the upcoming Interstellar Games on Lorwardia, just over a week from now. So we've got to be back by tomorrow afternoon in order to catch the shuttle that will take us there. But on the other hand, keeping the world from getting blown up kinda trumps cheering at the games. So, any idea when this wrongsick attack is gonna happen?"

"No, but the impression I received was that the danger will come from beyond Earth, and it will not happen for some time yet. There will be time to prepare, Ron-san, but when it comes, it will no doubt be powerful and difficult to stop."

"Hmm. Maybe another Lorwardian attack?"

Yori frowned as she closed her eyes in concentration as she tried to get a sense of who might be behind it.

"Perhaps. I do not sense that they will be directly responsible, but they could be the indirect cause."

Ron pondered that for a moment. "Yeah, but why? Earth and Lorwardia have been best buds for nearly a year now."

"Perhaps some are resentful of that, Ron-san. Hopefully you can discover more once you arrive there."

"Sounds like a good place to start, a-yup-yup."

Outside, the sound of a GJ hovercraft could be heard circling the mountain below.

"Well, it sounds like our ride's here, Yori. Now, you _sure_ you're gonna be okay now?"

Yori smiled back, clearly a little stronger now. "Yes, thanks to you and Rufus, and my faithful Hiro-san."

Hirotaka gave her a loving pat as she continued, "He will nurse me back to full health, so do not worry, Ron-san. And know that you have more than paid me back for rescuing you last year from your own misfortune on the astral plane."

Ron bashfully replied, "Hey, what are friends for? Kim may be my wife and my destiny, but you're still one of my best buds, right along with Rufus and Wade. Just like you told me once, we share a bond of honor that can't be broken."

"Yes, Ron-san. So until we meet again, Godspeed. May He watch over us all and help us to overcome this threat from beyond."

Ron smiled, giving her a kiss on the forehead. Hirotaka walked Ron and Rufus out to the trail that led to the bottom of Mt. Yamanouchi and the waiting hovercraft. But before they left, he offered them a parting bow of deep respect.

"Yamanouchi is once again in your debt, Stoppable-sama. And especially mine."

"No problemo, Hirotaka. Just take good care of Yori. We'll talk again soon."

While Yori watched from the window of her room as they proceeded down the trail, she offered up an additional prayer.

"_And please especially watch over Kim-chan. If anything should happen to her, I fear what might become of Ron-san_..."

* * *

Kim's trip to Lorwardia had been deeply relaxing, and, compared to the prior two weeks, blissfully uneventful. She stepped out of the shuttle and into a beautifully warm spring day on the planet's capital of Lorwardia Prime. This was her first time back on the planet in over nine months, and she immediately noticed some positive differences. The heat was much less oppressive than the last time, and the dusty air had given way to a freshness that reminded her of Earth. After a week of breathing the rather stale, recycled air of her shuttle, she gratefully took in a deep breath, and immediately noticed the unusual fragrance of...

"Pansies? Hmm, it looks like Drakken's terraforming is actually working..."

Warmonga was waiting for her, accompanied by Shego and an honor guard of smartly attired Lorwardians.

"Welcome back, Great Red! You honor Lorwardia with your presence."

Shego hid a snort behind one hand at the mention of Kim's honorific. "Yeah, _Red._ Great to see ya."

Kim replied with a chuckle, "And you too, _Green_."

Warmonga motioned for them all to enter her luxurious ground car. Designed for much larger Lorwardians, Kim felt like she was a kid again as she sank into the huge front seat.

"Wow, what's this upholstery made out of? It's so soft."

The Empress declared, "Tanned Thorgoggle hide. Quite rare, and very expensive."

Kim blanched at the thought. "Just as long as it's not _my_ hide, I'll be ferociously happy."

Shego replied, "Wouldn't dream of it, Kim." She graced her with a sly smile as she snickered, "Well, at one time maybe, but not any more. Oh, and I'm having my _own_ groundcar reupholstered with the hide of the Thorgoggle I just bagged back on Parfa."

She added with a smirk, "Singlehanded and unarmed, by the way."

Kim's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wow, Shego, that's really spankin'! I'm ferociously impressed."

The Empress added, "And Warmonga has renamed her WarShego for her incredible feat of bravery."

The name struck Kim as a bit ludicrous, if not totally overkill. She tried unsuccessfully to choke down a laugh, breaking out in a fit of coughing instead.

"Well, uh, _WarShego_, I'm glad to hear that you're channeling your aggressions into something other than evil."

"Yeah, well, that and certain other, uh, _recreational_ activities with Drew, shall we say?"

Kim blushed bright red at Shego's implication.

The Empress then announced, "As the Great Red has been gone for a long while, Warmonga wishes to give you a brief tour of the newly rebuilt Lorwardia Prime."

As she began driving, she pulled out a microphone and began proudly announcing sites both old and new, much like a Terran tour guide.

"Warmonga wishes to draw your attention to the newly rebuilt Great Hall, completely restored to its former glory after last years titanic battle with Zorpox the Conquerer."

The huge building gleamed brightly in the sunlight, but Kim shuddered involuntarily at the memory of its destruction. Thankfully the megalomaniac Zorpox had been defeated, enabling Ron to repossess his own body. She sighed longingly as she thought of Ron, and looked forward to seeing him again soon.

"And off to your left is Lake Kimberly, our planet's largest reservoir."

Kim's eyebrows arched in surprise.

With a pleasant smile, Warmonga continued, "Yes, we have named it after you, O Great Red, in honor of your superhuman effort in punching a hole deep enough through our planet's crust, bringing an abundant supply of fresh water to the surface of our arid world."

Kim nodded her head in acknowledgement. "Thanks, it was the least I could do. No big."

But she just as quickly remembered the terrific headache she'd had for a full week after drilling herself down to the water table, ten miles below the surface of the planet. "_Just as long as I never have to do that again_..."

"And directly ahead of us, please observe our newest monument, the glorious Intergalactic Stadium, in which we will hold the first annual Intergalactic Games, beginning one week from today."

The gigantic edifice was breathtaking, and would have dwarfed anything back on Earth.

"Its capacity is 500,000. And that's Lorwardians, mind you. Considering the diminutive size of many of our expected off-world guests, it may actually accommodate up to a million sentient beings."

And many of those beings had already arrived on the planet and were wandering about the streets of Lorwardia Prime even now. Kim was amazed at all the different sizes, shapes and colors of aliens from a hundred worlds.

Shego sniggered, "Welcome to the wild, wild world of intergalactic sports, Kimmie."

"You said it, Shego. So, Empress, when do I start training your Amazonian cheer squad?"

Warmonga slowed the groundcar to a halt. "They await you even as we speak. Come, they are inside the stadium."

As they all walked into the huge coliseum, the seven-foot high Lorwardian females were already practicing, having already been sent some basic cheerleader training DVDs by Kim.

They all stopped and bowed in deference to the the three legends. The Empress began, "This is the Great Red. She is here to instruct you all in the Terran art of cheerleading."

But the Lorwardian cheer squad looked askance at the comparatively tiny Terran female. Her slender form left the group distinctly unimpressed, similar to how Ron and Drakken had been unjustly judged upon their first appearance on Lorwardia the year before. If Ron had been there, he would have warned the ladies that size matters not. But Ron was not there, and Kim was left to make her own first impression. She immediately launched into training mode, beginning with a snappy pep talk to break the ice.

"Hi everyone! It's a great honor and a pleasure to be be here, and I'm looking forward to training you girls in the exciting fine art of cheerleading. I'm sure you'll pick up on everything real quick, and I have no doubt you'll be ready for your big show within the week."

With arms tightly folded, the Lorwardian cheer squad glared back at her in stony silence.

Kim cocked an eyebrow as she thought to herself, "_Hmm, tough crowd." _

One teen whispered to the other, "This is the Great Red? She seems a little small, even for a human..."

The other whispered back, "She's not what I expected. This tiny thing helped beat the Lorwardian Imperial Guard? I think not..."

With her gift of extraordinary hearing, Kim caught the girl's convo, and a chill went down her spine. "_Brrr. This is almost like facing eight Bonnies_."

Out loud she confidently announced, "All right team, let's begin."

As Kim launched into the practice session, Shego and Warmonga left on some official business, promising to return shortly to check on their progress. This was just as well, considering the difficulties she immediately ran into.

"Okay, team, let's take it from the top. Your mission is to cheer on your team and give them as much encouragement as possible, while simultaneously encouraging and entertaining the audience. A good way to start is with a snappy cheer, something like this..."

Kim waved her pom-poms and yelled out, "Two! Four! Six! Eight! The Empress' teams are really great! Goooooooo _Lorwardia!_"

She did a quick back flip and ended up in a basic split. But if she hoped that this would impress the Lorwardian teenagers, she was sadly mistaken. Their faces continued to radiate intense displeasure, if not outright hatred.

"Okay then, so let's try something else..."

As Kim continued to lecture, the undercurrent of disapproval continued to increase.

One teen whispered to the other, "The human's blathering is soooo boring."

The other sneered back, "Agreed. Where is the glorious conflict? When do we get to the fighting?"

Yet another complained, "This human speaks not of battle, but of lame encouragement."

Kim tried demonstrating a variety of cheer techniques, cajoling and encouraging to the best of her ability. But try as she might, she was getting nowhere fast. And the Lorwardian's intransigent attitude didn't help matters one bit either. No matter what she said, no matter how patient she remained, she couldn't even get the basics across to them. One very frustrating hour later, Kim was stymied.

"All right, girls. Take five."

Shego had just returned, and walked over to her discouraged cousin. "So, Cupcake. How's it going?"

Kim whined, "Wow, Shego, not so good. I've trained and led the best cheer squad in all of Colorado, if not the country. I've even met the challenge of becoming Earth's ambassador to Lorwardia. I'm supposed to be the girl who can do anything! So what's keeping me from getting these cheer routines across to these thick-skinned girls? For crying out loud, they've got the worst of both worlds: the snarky attitude of Bonnie Rockwaller combined with Ron's ferocious high school demotivation!"

Shego scratched her chin in thought. "Hmm, doesn't sound too promising, Kimmie. Try it again and I'll watch."

Kim slowly gathered the girls together again, and demonstrated the moves for a third time. She chose one of the teens, saying, "Okay, now you try it."

But the girl simply went through the motions halfheartedly, without any real feeling or understanding.

Kim yelled out in frustration, "No, no, _no! _Where's your passion, where's your motivation?"

The Lorwardian simply yawned back and complained, "_So_ bored..."

Kim massaged her throbbing temples and reminded herself, "_Can't lose control and display any anger. That never worked on Earth_."

A light bulb suddenly clicked on within her mind.

"_Hey, wait, that's the problem! I'm NOT on Earth. I'm treating these seven-foot-high Amazons like they're Tara or Hope. They're Lorwardian, not human. And with centuries of conflict and aggression behind them, they don't need human encouragement, they need a Lorwardian drill sergeant!_"

She snapped her fingers. "_That's it! Now to channel a little of Mr. Barkin..._"

Kim suddenly fired a powerful green bolt of plasma into the ground as she locked eyes with the Lorwardian teen. "Okay, I've had _enough_ of your lip, you slovenly excuse for a narfbrackle!"

The entire cheer squad froze in surprise at Kim's sudden change.

Kim continued to taunt, "A baby PARFAN could do better than that!"

The teen walked up to Kim and glared dangerously down at her. "Who are you calling a narfbrackle, pitiful human?"

With fire in her eyes, Kim glared right back, standing her ground. "YOU, you miserable glorfschnable!"

And with that insult, she wound up a glowing blue fist and clobbered the surprised teen, knocking the seven-foot-tall cheerleader directly onto her behind.

The effective on the squad was electric. Their opinion of Kim changed instantly as the squad instantly began whispering among themselves.

"Ooo, nice move."

"Yes, she's had that coming for a long time."

"The human appears worthy of our respect now?"

"Agreed. Let us now follow the Great Red into the glorious battle she calls cheerleading."

Kim overheard the undercurrent of approval and decided to push her advantage.

"All right, you powderpuffs! TennnnnnHUT! New routine!"

The girl Kim had just pounded jumped right back up and took her place in the skirmish line the team had immediately formed with near military precision. They instantly offered a Lorwardian-style salute as they awaited their next order.

But Kim directed her next command at her cousin. "WarShego! Front and center!"

Shego looked surprised. "Huh? What's this all about, Kim?"

Kim answered with another fierce plasma blast, but this time directly at Shego's feet, tearing up huge chunks of sod out of the ground.

As Shego walked coughing through the cloud of dust and dirt, she glared at Kim with a look of incredulity. "Whoa, Kim! What the hell's gotten into you?"

Kim flashed her pearly whites and quickly whispered, "I've got their attention now, Shego. Just follow my lead. How about a little sparring, just like old times?"

Suddenly catching on to Kim's plan, Shego grinned back with an evil smile of her own. "Roger that. Just like old times, Cupcake."

Shego powered up both hands with a terrific fwoosh of plasma and charged directly at Kim with a mighty yell. Kim quickly sidestepped her and launched a powerful scissors kick, but Shego was ready for that and executed a perfect backflip, landing directly in front of Kim. As they continued to spar, their huge bolts of iridescent plasma collided, providing the Lorwardian cheer squad with an unforgettable pyrotechnic spectacle.

Kim yelled out, "Okay, Shego! When I give the word, do a backflip and land on top of the pyramid!"

Barely avoiding another one of Kim's plasma-charged swings, Shego yelled back, "WHAT pyramid?"

Kim instantly glowed red, splitting herself into seven identical Kims and forming up into the promised edifice.

"_Now_, _Shego!_"

"Oh, THAT pyramid."

With one final backflip, Shego deftly made a perfect landing at the very top, extending her arms out in victory.

"_Ta-dah!_"

For an instant, the Lorwardian cheer squad looked on in silent amazement, then broke out in a tremendous cheer over the incredible display.

After catching her breath and quieting down her now highly motivated team, Kim ordered, "Now, use your pom-poms in exactly the same way that you just saw WarShego and I use our plasma. Use Routine #2 from the DVD."

She pointed at the girl she had initially pounded. "And let's end up with _you_ on top."

The teen saluted Kim smartly. "At your command, O Great Red!"

As the squad formed up, Shego just shook her head in amazement.

"Congratulations, Kimmie. I'm beginning to believe you _are_ the girl who can do anything."

With a satisfied smirk, Kim replied, "They treat everything like warfare, so I just had to change my approach a little. No big."

Shego shook out her arms a little. "Oh, and by the way, nice workout. That felt real good, just like old times."

Kim agreed, "Yup, just like old times."

"And it looks like your plan's working perfectly, Princess. Look."

Although the teens now looked more like a well-disciplined infantry unit than a cheer squad, they began executing their routine with perfect military efficiency.

At that moment, Warmonga returned, watching them carefully for a few moments. As they completed their pyramid, she smiled and nodded in approval. "Ooo. Warmonga definitely approves. They still could be more aggressive, but you are certainly moving them in the right direction."

Kim and Shego looked at each other with a look of dismay and complained in unison, "MORE aggressive?"

"Jinx! You owe me a soda, Shego."

Shego just sighed back, "Sure thing, Kim. Right after practice is over, if we live that long..."

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Grallx stepped off of WarRaptor's military shuttle. Disguised as a typical Lorwardian officer, he snapped to attention and gave WarRaptor a smart salute as the stolen devices were quickly whisked away for analysis.

"Mission completed, Grallx?" WarRaptor was nearly drooling over the powerful inventions that were now his.

"Not a problem. I even managed to pin the thefts on a Terran shapeshifter who undoubtedly took the fall once I was off-planet. "

WarRaptor's smile faded. "Yes, about that. Although you took great pains to cover your tracks, it seems that you weren't as clever as you thought. I just received a report that Warmonga and Shego were snooping around the moon of Parfa under the guise of a Thorgoggle hunt. Your clan tried to liquidate them, but they were unsuccessful."

Now it was Grallx whose smile was fading. "What happened?"

"We're not totally sure, but Warmonga has just changed the Princess Regent's name to WarShego in honor of her singlehanded _unarmed_ defeat of Thorgoggle, whose spine is now gracing her living room wall. The Great Blue couldn't stop blathering on about it in today's briefing."

"And what of my clan?" Grallx asked in a fearful tone of voice.

WarRaptor took a deep breath before answering. "I regret to inform you that they apparently chose to destroy themselves rather than be taken alive. It appears that Warmonga declared a Hunt against one of them, after she and WarShego defeated the three Thorgoggles set loose against them in an ambush. But your connection with this, and your presence here on Lorwardia, appears to remain hidden from all involved."

Grallx's concentration wavered for a moment at the shocking news, and he nearly reverted into his natural form.

WarRaptor quickly looked around to see if anyone had spotted Grallx's lapse of control. Satisfied that no one had noticed, he quickly swept him inside the command center.

He continued in hushed tones. "I think it would be wise if you stayed in protective custody here until all this blows over. I assure you that our agreement remains valid, and once Warmonga and all these other meddlesome humans are taken care of, you will be able to return to your planet. Your world will remain free in perpetuity, and you will have the undying thanks of the _new_ rulers of Lorwardia, as well as the Parfan govenment."

He flashed Grallx a smarmy smile, which smacked of insincerity to the shapeshifter. A critical part of a Parfan's training was closely observing those who they imitated. And Grallx suspected an unmistakable trace of deviousness from the Lorwardian commander.

Grallx warned, "Yes, WarRaptor. And let us make sure that our agreements remain truly valid, and that any treachery on your part is limited only to the persons of Warmonga, WarShego and the Great Blue."

"Of course, of course! No question on that point at all, Grallx," he quickly answered. Maybe a little too quickly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some secret weapons to investigate."

As WarRaptor swept away, Grallx couldn't help but get a very disturbing feeling from these new developments. He promised himself to remain extremely cautious from now on.

Inside the command center, WarRaptor quickly made his way to the research and development section. Ironically, it was the same room in which his father, WarOwl, had done most of his experimentation, and which had ultimately led to his demise. Busily studying the new devices were two of his most trusted technicians, one of whom had already hooked up the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer to some advanced testing equipment.

WarRaptor hastily inquired, "Well, wartech? What do all of your blinking lights tell you about this thing?"

The first technician studied the technical readout. "Patience, WarRaptor. Hmm, yes, a very interesting device. With a sufficient power source, it could easily rip a hole in the space-time continuum. This is easily the most intriguing and yet the most dangerous mechanism I've ever come across. I'm amazed that the Terrans could have come up with something so complex, and yet so small."

Growing impatient, WarRaptor demanded, "Yes, yes, I can see that you're fascinated with it, but will it do what I have planned? I need to take out Kim Possible, Ron Stopabble and our redoubtable Princess Shego at a single stroke."

The technician nodded. "Yes, when hooked up to a singularity engine, it would suck a space cruiser and probably anything else within a million miles into Warhafter knows where. But why go to all this trouble if all you want to do is eliminate your enemies? Wouldn't a simple explosive device do the trick?"

WarRaptor barked out a hollow laugh. "For an _amateur_, perhaps, but these Terrans have proven particularly hard to kill. Warmonga, WarOwl and even Zorpox underestimated their abilities and persistence, and paid a heavy price for their lack of foresight, so I'm taking no chances. I want to absolutely guarantee the most humongous explosion ever witnessed since the last supernova blew up in these parts over a millennium ago!"

The wartech shrugged, "Yes, but simply sabotaging their hyperlight drive might be easier."

WarRaptor shook his head in disagreement. "Recall your basic engineering, wartech. A singularity engine's design incorporates many fail-safes to prevent exactly what we'd like to do, especially with that blasted Emergency Off Switch attached. The only way we've found to destabilize one is to bring it into close proximity with another singularity engine. The physical designs of our spacecraft preclude this from happening, unless a massive collision somehow takes place, like what happened to Zorpox's monstrous craft last year."

All shuddered at the memory of that event, which had created a massive Black Hole and nearly sucked the entire Lorwardian star system into it.

"What I need for you to devise is a mechanism that will automatically activate the PDVI once they drop back into normal space at the outskirts of their own solar system. The resulting cataclysm should instantly vaporize them into their component atoms. Even if the engine doesn't automatically implode, it will at the very least send them irretrievably into another dimension, never to be heard from again. And the biggest advantage of this device is that it isn't technically a weapon, so it's unlikely that any weapon scans will detect it."

The wartech bowed. "I concur with your excellent plan, WarRaptor. It shall be done as you command."

WarRaptor rubbed in hands together in evil glee as he turned to the other wartech. "And what of this brain-switch device? Does it live up to its awesome reputation?"

The wartech gleefully smiled back. "Yes! It transfers not only the minds of the two subjects to the other's body, but their spirits as well. A total transference of one's very essence from one to another! A truly amazing technology. How do you plan on using it?"

WarRaptor responded, "Well, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

The wartech laughed at the apparent joke, but WarRaptor didn't join in with him.

With a cold look he continued, "Actually, I'm serious. I'd have to kill you."

The wartech smiled back weakly, "Uh, forget I asked..."

_**TBC...**_


	11. Off To Lorwardia

_Warmonga honors the glorious reviewers of the preceding chapter: Bookworm Gal, Oreochema, AlphaSeymour, CajunBear73, Linzerj, Eddy13, Sentinel103, Jimmy1201, AnimationNut, Tito-Mosquito, Katsumara and Reader101w, and swears by the beard of Warhafter that any reviews shall be swiftly replied to. And Mahler Avatar knows all too well what terrible fate awaits him should he fail to carry out my imperial command... And now, please direct your attention to the latest installment of this illustrious story._

* * *

As Ron and Rufus traveled back to Middleton on the GJ hoverjet, they were in slightly better spirits than they had been on their way to Yamanouchi. They both enjoyed a great sense of relief regarding Yori's recovery from the astral plane, but their mutual concern over the fate of the planet hung over them like a dark cloud. Ron was anxious to let Kim know immediately about all the details, but as he had discovered the year before, mental communication via his Mystical Monkey Power wasn't possible at velocities greater than the speed of light. He'd first have to wait several days until she dropped back to space normal speed at the edge of the Lorwardian solar system. But by that time, they would probably already be on their way to Lorwardia themselves. So in the meantime, Ron distracted himself with a little mental convo with his best pal.

"_Well, Rufus. Whaddya think about Yori's wrongsick vision?"_

"_Very disturbing, and not only over the fate of the Earth. For some reason, she was working quite hard to shield her thoughts from us regarding certain details of Sensei's revelation."_

A trace a smile tugged at Rufus' tiny lips.

"_But as Yori was in a very weakened physical state, she wasn't, shall we say, entirely successful?"_

Ron snickered, _"You little scamp! So you read her mind and caught a glimpse of what she saw?"_

The tiny naked mole rat nodded. _"Yes, but only a few details. Mostly impressions, really."_

"_So spill, already! I'm all ears."_

Rufus chuckled. _"Since we're presently reading each other's mind, ears aren't really needed, wouldn't you say?"_

Ron winced. _"Ooh, good point, little buddy. And now you're sounding just like KP, by the way. So maybe I'll make that 'I'm all mind,' maybe? Wow, one of these days we're gonna have to figure out a whole new set of telepathetic colloquialisms..."_

Rufus gently interrupted his master's wayward train of thought. _"Like Kim often says, 'Focus, Ron.' So, like I was saying... er, thinking, rather, I only caught a few fleeting perceptions of our potential apocalypse. The first was that Yamanouchi had either been struck by several meteors, or else pieces of the Moon. Huge chunks of our satellite were still floating in space after having been shattered by some tremendous force."_

Ron felt Rufus' psychic shiver at the memory. But there was even worse to come.

"_I also had the distinct impression that Kim was missing, perhaps even... dead."_

That news hit Ron like a thunderbolt. If Rufus had just shot him with Dementor's Extremely Large Blasting Device, he could not have been more disturbed by the grim prophecy. Ron's mind instantly swam with a thousand questions.

"_Kim... gone? How? What could have happened to her? What about us? Did she perish saving the world? Or just us? Or did we all? Or..."_

Ron's anxious inquiries relentlessly assaulted the tiny mole rat's mind, almost overwhelming him with abject fear.

"_Whoa, slow down, Ron! I tried to perceive our whereabouts in her vision, but I wasn't successful. We'll need to contact Yori again before we jump to any conclusions. But one thing is certain. If Sensei sent the vision, he did so with the intent that we would stop it from happening, so it's not inevitable. Even if..."_

Ron completed his friend's grim thought. _"Even if Kim's no longer among the living?"_

Rufus could only nod sadly in response. As they continued to fly over the dark Pacific Ocean stretching out beneath them, they both lost themselves in the privacy of their own thoughts.

* * *

Several hours later, the hoverjet made its final approach to Middleton. Ron was in better spirits by now, promising himself that no matter what happened, he would protect Kim no matter what the cost. As he looked up into the cool pre-dawn sky, Venus glittered brightly just above the horizon. The planet named after the goddess of love seemed to beckon him with the promise of hope, and he addressed the celestial body as he would his beautiful young wife.

"I promised I'd always have your back, Kim. And that's a promise I intend to keep, even if it costs me my own life."

A few minutes later, the hoverjet made a brief stop at his home so that he could pick up his luggage for the trip to Lorwardia. Now feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders for his family's safety as well, he bid his mom, dad and his sister Hana a fond farewell.

"Dad, Mom, I'm sorry I didn't get any time to spend with you after school was out, but once Kim and I are back, I promise that we'll spend some quality time with you guys. Hopefully we'll be back in about a month, and then we can catch up on everything. I'll really miss you all."

His father beamed proudly back at him. "No worries, son. We'll miss you too, but I know you'll make us proud."

With the glint of a tear in her eye, his mother added, "Just like you've always done, Ronald."

Ron began to blush from all the comforting comments. Comments that he thought he'd never hear from his parents, but better late than never, and for that he was thankful.

Not wanting to be left out, Hana ran up to him and gave Ron a big hug. Her eyes held the same joyful sparkle that radiated from her adoptive parents. "Bru – thur!"

"And I'll miss you too, you widdle intwuder!"

As he turned to leave, Rufus began to chitter incessantly.

"What is it, Rufus?"

He sent back a brief thought to his master. _"Aren't you forgetting something?"_

"Oh yeah! Thanks, little pal. How could I possibly make my return as the Mad Dog Mascot without my mask and mouth foam? Although I'm sure Bonnie wouldn't mind..."

The naked mole rat giggled in agreement as he grabbed his own diminutive suitcase. A few minutes later, the hoverjet was winging its way to the Middleton Interstellar Spaceport and their rendezvous with the waiting Kepler IV. They were greeted by a scene of even more tearful goodbyes, but this time between the members of the cheer squad and all of their current beaus. Mr. Barkin looked on with barely concealed disgust at the romantic tableaux.

"All right people! Let's keep it short. I know you've all graduated now, but as long as I'm the chaperone on this little excursion, my rules on public displays of affection still hold. Remember, it's only going to be a month for cripe's sake!"

But everyone blithely ignored their former vice-principal as he futilely railed against the inevitable, and the romantic farewells continued unabated. Even Señor Senior Junior had made a belated appearance, staring longingly at Bonnie with star-struck puppy dog eyes.

"Ah, my love, I shall think of you each and every night until you return. And when I look up at the stars, I shall envision your lovely face amongst them. And no doubt will it inspire me to express myself in glorious song!"

Junior instantly accomplished what Steve Barkin's threats had failed to achieve as everyone stopped in mid-kiss, fearing that Junior might break out right then and there with a horrible rendition of heaven only knew what. With horror now etched on everyone's faces, Mr. Barkin looked on with pleasant irony. But finally deciding to show a little mercy, he quickly intervened.

"Stow it, Junior. Save your pipes for Rockwaller's return, and you can sing to your heart's content... _then_."

That reminded him that he would need some earplugs before his return to Earth. No doubt the Smarty Mart on Lorwardia carried them on aisle 12, right next to the _American Starmaker's Greatest Hits _albums. A wicked smile broke out on his face as he envisioned Junior wailing away on the stage of a Lorwardian karaoke bar, only to be torn limb from limb by an angry mob of aliens. But his pleasant reverie was interrupted by the arrival of a speeding car. Screeching to a halt just outside the gate, its occupant quickly exited the vehicle, waving frantically at the suddenly horrified chaperone.

"Stevie! Oh, _Stee_-vie! Yoo-hoo, my cuddly honey-bunny!"

DNAmy jumped up and down in a desperate attempt to get his attention. She had once again become infatuated with the substitute high school teacher after finally giving up on her great love, the notorious Monkey Fist, who had remained a stony statue ever since his mystical entombment by Yono the Destroyer over a year before.

Now in a panic, Barkin bellowed, "Sweet mother of pearl! Everybody on board, quick!"

Everyone hurriedly piled into the spacecraft, with the just-arrived Ron and Rufus bringing up the rear. With a loud clang, the hatch to the Kepler IV closed just in the nick of time. Mr. Barkin exhaled a satisfying sigh of relief as the tearful DNAmy futilely pounded on the double-glazed viewport, her desperate cries of anguish inaudible through the thick hatch. Finally giving up in despair, she was gently led away by the chief of security for the launch, Officer Hobble.

Now safe from DNAmy's romantic clutches, Mr. Barkin turned toward Ron with a sneer. "Cutting it a bit close, wouldn't you say, Stoppable?"

Bonnie couldn't help chiming in. "Yeah, _loser_. We nearly left you behind. No big loss if we had, though. At least the _real_ team was on time and ready to go."

Ron quickly apologized. "Sorry, everybody. Family emergency."

This was true enough as Yori was now Hana's godmother, even though he felt he was stretching things a bit to gain a little sympathy, and especially to avoid revealing any awkweird info regarding Earth's possible demise.

Tara however had no problem in displaying a little compassion toward Ron. "I'm sorry, Ron. I hope everything's okay?"

"Well, better than it was, at least. But it was actually really close."

"Ooh, sounds kinda serious," she cooed.

He frowned back, "You don't know the half of it."

"Something up with your parents, or Hana maybe?"

"You could say that."

"_And everyone else on the planet,_" he thought grimly to himself.

Having already been alerted to Ron's delay by Dr. Director, James Possible tried to make light of it. "Well, Ronald, you're here now, and that's what's important. But since our launch window expires in only a half hour, it's time for everybody to strap themselves in and prepare for liftoff."

While Ron and Mr. Barkin checked that everyone was safely buckled up, the girls all giggled in excitement in anticipation of their very first spaceflight. James ran down the final pre-flight checklist as the computer answered each of his queries.

"Cabin pressure?"

"_Cabin pressure psi nominal."_

Ron looked up suddenly as he tried to place the computer's familiar voice, while James continued down the checklist.

"Electrical systems?"

"_Electrical systems normal."_

"Fuel systems?"

"_Systems within operational parameters."_

"Stand by for sixty-second countdown, Sadie."

"_Ready when you are, Dr. Possible." _

Ron piped up, "Sadie? As in the voice of Dr. Freeman's car?"

"_That's right, Ron. Nice to have you aboard."_

"I _thought_ it sounded like you, Sadie. Coolio!"

The computer voice laughed pleasantly. _"Thanks. Now if you and Steve will buckle yourselves in, we can start the final countdown."_

James held up a hand. "Uh, just one moment, Sadie. There's one important tradition that needs to be performed first."

Through the cockpit window, he gave the high sign to his wife who was standing just outside on the gantry. Holding a bottle of Dom Peregrine '03 in her hands, Anne Possible cheerfully announced, "I officially christen thee, the Kepler IV!"

She quickly swung the champagne bottle, easily shattering it against the spacecraft's bow. A loud cheer went up from the waiting crowd as the satisfying shower of effervescence exploded across the hull, signifying the ship's successful christening.

"Okay, Sadie. _Now_ you may begin the sixty-second countdown. _Rockets are go!_"

Strapped in next to Tara, Bonnie whispered, "I just hope I didn't jinx us by calling this bucket of bolts the _Kimtanic_..."

With a dreamy look Tara gazed up and said, "Ooh! That was one of my favorite movies!" With a pleasant sigh she continued, "And so romantic..."

Bonnie simply rolled her eyes at Tara's clueless comment, deciding that any explanation regarding the original _Titanic_ sinking on its maiden voyage would be pointless.

As the final seconds ticked away, Ron sat next to a bored looking Camille Léon, still in her chameleonic disguise as the cheerleader Leona.

"So, _Leona_. Excited about taking your first spaceflight?"

Camille yawned back, "As if. A flight in the Concorde would have been much more my style. Their in-flight service was simply poppin,' but whatevs, I guess. All for a good cause."

"Mine, of course," she added with a haughty chuckle.

With a terrific roar, the rockets flared into life as the rocket slowly lifted off. Gigantic tongues of flame leapt out of the engine's massive nozzles, thrusting the huge craft into the early morning sky. As the ship picked up speed, Anne Possible gave a cheerful wave as they disappeared into the distance. The girls giggled with delight as the powerful G forces pushed them all back into their seats.

But when Ron glanced over at Camille, he noticed that the gravitational forces were strong enough to cause her to lose control over her shapeshifting ability, and she began reverting from her Leona persona back into Camille. He started to panic, but began to relax as soon as he noticed that everyone else was too distracted to spot her change, and that Mr. Dr. P and Mr. Barkin were likewise too busy piloting the craft to notice Camille's brief reversion.

Quickly gaining orbit, the spacecraft continued to accelerate until escape velocity was achieved. Soon oohs and ahhs were heard as they passed close by the Moon, using its gravity to slingshot the spacecraft on the first leg of its toward the edge of the solar system. Later, as they drew closer to Mars, James again used the gravitational pull of the planet to increase their speed. As he did so, he couldn't resist the temptation to act as their interplanetary tour guide.

"May I have everyone's attention, please? Off to your right you'll see the beautiful red hues of the planet Mars. Its white icecaps consist mostly of frozen water topped off with icy carbon dioxide of varying thicknesses, depending on the season."

Ron asked, "You mean dry ice, like they use in my favorite zombie movies?"

James chuckled back, "That's right Ronald. But I doubt very much that there are any zombies on Mars."

Ron shook his head back and forth. "_Ow contrary_, Mr. Dr. P: who _knows_ what mysteries await us on the mysterious Red Planet?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes at the thought, but inwardly began to feel a little apprehensive. Ron immediately picked up on her fear and decided to play a little trick, silently alerting Rufus to his plan. The tiny naked mole rat giggled at the idea and surreptitiously crawled down Ron's pants leg and onto the deck, stealthily making his way back to Bonnie's seat.

Ron continued in a foreboding tone of voice. "Ooh, spooky. So on a dark cold night, clouds of CO2 mist could be covering the advance of an army of Martian zombies. I can just imagine them marching over the icy plains of Mars, seeking out any warm, human flesh to consume."

Bonnie's skin began to crawl at the idea, and she gave an involuntary shiver.

Ron laid it on even thicker. "Yeah, they're hungry all right, after eons of waiting for the very first delicious earthlings to arrive. And in the darkness, with their glowing eyes eerily lighting up the alien landscape, one of them reaches out with his dead, gray hand, and..."

Bonnie suddenly let out a terrible scream as Rufus grabbed her leg with his cold and clammy paws.

"Stoppable! YOU ARE SO DEAD! And keep your terrible little rat thing to yourself, _or else!_"

Everyone broke out in laughter at the harmless prank. Even Mr. Barkin cracked a smile as James continued with his monologue.

"Ronald, I'm afraid that I'm not spotting any zombies, but if everyone will look off to your left, you'll see..."

Mr. Barkin suddenly yelled out, "_Asteroid! Dead ahead!_"

James scoffed, "That's impossible! Our navicomputer has the location of every last rock and piece of ice between here and Neptune programmed into it. There can't possibly be..."

But looming ahead and growing larger by the second hung a massive asteroid, fully 100 kilometers wide.

"Hmm, I take it back."

Seemingly more curious why an asteroid was located where it shouldn't be rather than their impending impact with it, James calmly clicked on the intercom.

"Everyone please return your tray tables to their upright and locked position, and fasten your seat belts."

With a devilish grin he added, "Your captain has turned on the non-smoking sign."

Mr. Barkin shot him an incredulous look, to which James easily replied, "Sorry, Steve. I've always wanted to say that. Switching over to manual control, now. Stand by for evasive maneuvers, everybody."

James pulled the Kepler IV into a tight turn as the huge rock raced toward them. Now skimming the surface of the planetesimal at incredible speed, everyone held their breath in anticipation of the impact that would bring a swift end to their cheerleading adventure.

All except Ron, who stared in wonder at the asteroid's craters as they rushed by at dizzying speed, now clearly visible outside the portholes on both sides of their spacecraft.

"Ooh, this is just like that scene in _The Revenge of the Return of the Empire Strikes Back, Redux_!"

He immediately began to glow bright blue as he activated his magical power, forming a mystical cushion between the Kepler IV and the surface of the planetesimal. They all breathed a collective sigh of relief as they shot away from the asteroid and back into deep space.

James cheerfully announced, "Allll clear, ladies. Oh, and you too, Steve. You can take your hands off of your eyes now."

Mr. Barkin peeked out from between his fingers and awkwardly muttered, "Uh, yes, of course. No problem."

Ron also had to coax a frightened Rufus out of the dubious safety of his pants pocket. "That goes for you too, little pal. Everything's fine now."

But no sooner had he spoken those words of assurance, than a terrific screech was heard as a much smaller rock suddenly impacted the hull.

Barkin growled, "Hmm. Maybe you spoke a little too soon, Possible?"

"Well, maybe. But with our double hull, we should be perfectly safe from any..."

James stopped short as he heard a rather large hiss coming from the area of the hull impacted by the space rock. He quickly unbuckled himself and made a closer inspection of the damage.

"This is _not_ good."

He frowned at the foot-long crease in the wall of the spacecraft. Although only a hairline scratch, air was definitely escaping. And unless something could be done immediately, it would only be a matter of time before their precious oxygen supply leaked out into the dark cold of space.

"Sorry everyone, but I'm afraid we're going to need to return to Earth for repairs."

As everyone moaned together in disappointment, James muttered under his breath, "That is, if we can even make it back to safety in time."

Bonnie just caught James' ominous statement, as her well-tanned face paled to near white. "You mean, we might _die?_"

A fleeting vision entered her mind of a crash landing on Mars, followed by the ship being surrounded by flesh-eating alien zombies. She instantly jumped up and yelled, "No way! I'm too young to die! Somebody _do_ _something!_"

Thinking quickly, Ron was struck with an idea. "Hold on, Mr. Dr. P, I think I might have a bon-diggety solution to this gorchy problemo."

He grabbed his travel bag and rummaged around until he found what he was looking for, a small aerosol can containing its hitherto disgusting substance.

"Banana-flavored mouth foam to the rescue!"

He sprayed a generous dollop of the gooey substance into his hand and smeared it over the scratch. The pernicious hissing immediately stopped. James was astounded, testing the repair with a few hard raps of his knuckles. Not only was the leak sealed, but the icy cold of space had apparently frozen the foam into rock-like hardness.

"Ron, this is simply amazing! How in the world did you know that would work?"

Ron hesitated a moment, self-consciously scratching the back of his neck. "Uh, well, after I became the running back at school, I figured I didn't need my mouth foam anymore and put it in the fridge at home. At least, I _thought_ it was the fridge, but it was actually the freezer. And I didn't have it capped on quite tight enough, so, uh, some of it leaked. Well, _heh-heh_, actually all of it. And it froze as hard as a rock, and no matter what I tried, I couldn't loosen it. Then after I accidentally punched a hole in the freezer wall while I was trying to chisel it out, well... boy, was my dad mad when he found out that we had to replace the whole freezer..."

James politely interjected. "Well, that was a great discovery, Ronald, and you may have just saved our lives. But I'd like to inspect the damage to the outer hull just to make sure we're completely okay. Steve, you've got the helm."

A half hour later, a smiling James Possible returned from his spacewalk, removed his helmet and made the happy pronoucement. "Ron's mouth foam has sealed up the damage perfectly, even on the outer hull. It's as hard as a proverbial rock, and there should be no problem in continuing on to Lorwardia as planned."

The cheer squad squealed in delight at the good news. Ron couldn't help but give Bonnie a smug look of satisfaction as he stretched out his legs on the footrest and cupped his hands behind his head.

"And what was that you were saying about my bon-diggety mouth foam, Bonnie?"

She pursed her lips and softly growed, "I take it back."

Ron grinned back, "What was that, Bon-Bon?"

The teal-eyed cheerleader began to blush brightly as she spat back, "I take it back, okay? Just don't make me grovel!"

With a sly smile, Ron easily replied, "Oh, a little groveling is good for the soul, Bonnie. I've had to eat crow a few times in my life, and I'm definitely a better person for it. And who am I to deny you that wonderful experience? Isn't that right, Rufus?"

"_Better person, uh-huh, uh-huh!_" was the mole rat's quick reply.

But as the cheerleaders all tittered over Bonnie's embarrassment, James smile suddenly turned serious as he immediately tried to contact the Middleton Observatory back on Earth.

"This is the Kepler IV. Repeat, this is the Kepler IV. Middleton, we have a problem. Come in please."

The radio crackled to life. "_This is Dr. Robert Chen. I'm reading you loud and clear, James. What's going on?_"

"Well, we just nearly got taken out by an asteroid. We're fine, but either our navicomputer is suffering from a glitch, or else there are some planetesimals where they shouldn't be. Would you check the orbits of any asteroids within 100,000 kilometers or so of Mars and let me know what what you find?"

"_Sure, James. And you're in luck: I just completed a sky survey for the National Research Council last night. Let me compare that to the survey I ran just before the Lorwardian invasion last year, and I'll get right back to you_."

As Dr. Chen signed off, James asked, "Sadie, would you run a Level 1 diagnostic on the navicomputer please?"

The computer calmly responded, "_Right away, James. I'll have an answer for you in a few moments_."

James turned to Steve with a worried look and whispered, "I'd feel safer returning to Earth, but that would majorly disappoint the girls. Besides, it would take all of our remaining fuel just to slow down and turn back."

Mr. Barkin nodded and growled back, "That's exactly what I figured, too. And it reminds me of the time when I was serving with my Swift Boat squadron upstream from the Youkong Delta. We were patrolling ten clicks east of Quic Duc Lo when a flash flood carried us into the rapids. We were going too fast to turn around, so we had to ride it out, and we narrowly missed getting our hull bashed in by some huge boulders. It was pretty dicey for a while, but we made it okay."

He lowered his voice even more. "If we had hit a rock we would have probably lost the boat, but at least we could have made it to shore. But the problem we're facing here is that our shore is either Earth or Lorwardia, with not much between."

Just then Sadie announced, "_Diagnostic complete, James. Navicomputer operating under normal parameters, and its memory checks out perfectly_."

He sighed with relief, "Well, that's good news at least. But it still doesn't give us an answer to our problem."

The radio beeped again, signaling an incoming communication. "_James, it's Bob Chen. I've just compared last night's digital photography with last year's survey. It's pretty close, but..._"

"But what? I don't like the sound of that, Bob."

"_Neither do I. Everything in your vicinity is, well, a little off. Based on the last known velocity of nearby asteroids, we can predict exactly where any of them should be located at the present time. But nothing close to you is where it should be, and I've spotted several other discrepancies as well, all centered around Mars. Even the orbits of Phobos and Deimos seem to have been affected_."

"Sounds pretty serious. Could a previously undiscovered rogue comet or asteroid be causing the gravitic anomaly?"

"_Possibly. But if there were, we should have seen it by now, unless its albedo is close to zero."_

Ron spoke up. "But why would an asteroid have an albino on it?"

"_No, Ron, that's albedo, which is how much light reflects off of a body in space, making it visible from Earth. If it was composed of extremely dark material, its albedo would be very low and hard to spot with a telescope. Low albedo asteroids are rare, but not unheard of. James, a radar survey would confirm that hypothesis, so I'll contact our colleagues to get that started_."

James scratched his chin in thought. "Bob, could it be anything else? Maybe a gravitational irregularity due to all the space travel between Earth and Lorwardia over the past year?"

_"Possibly. Maybe even Mars itself. I'll crunch the numbers and get back to you as soon as I can to confirm. Chen out_."

As the connection was closed, James frown deepened in concern, but he quickly came to a decision about how to proceed now. "Steve, stand by for a course change. Z plus 20 degrees, please."

Mr. Barkin grinned back, "Aye aye, Captain Constellation."

He smiled at Mr. Barkins's mild sarcasm, knowing that Steve wouldn't make a dig like that if he didn't have complete confidence in his leadership. James turned to his teenage passengers and announced the new plan.

"All right, everyone. We have sufficient velocity to carry us to the edge of the solar system, where we can activate the Kimpossibility drive that will propel us at hyperlight speeds for the rest of our journey. By skimming over the plane of the ecliptic instead of going directly through it, we should be able to avoid the orbits of any other comets or asteroids, expected or not. But without the ability to use the gravity of the major planets to slingshot us into a higher velocity, our previous estimate for hyperlight injection will be seriously delayed."

But all James saw were the blank faces of nine cheerleaders and his goofy son-in-law staring back at him like deer in the headlights, as they tried to make sense of what the rocket scientist had just said. Mr. Barkin shook his head in frustration at everyone's lack of comprehension.

"All right, people! In English, now, so listen up. We're making a course change to avoid any more space rocks, but it's going to take longer than we planned."

Finally understanding, a collective groan went up at the news.

But James immediately added, "Don't worry, I'll still get you to your interstellar cheer squad debut on time, I promise."

The groans subsided as they all realized that this change in plans was for their own safety. Bonnie, ever the one to try and take control of situation, declared, "Well, if that means we won't get splattered against another huge rock, then I'm all for it. Thanks, Dr. Possible."

James added with just a trace of sarcasm, "I'm glad you concur, Bonnie."

As the cheer squad all began to chat among themselves, Mr. Barkin turned to James. "So how do you plan on making up for lost time, Possible? The laws of physics can only be bent so far before breaking. And that's usually accompanied by some rather crummy results."

But James remained upbeat. "Well, Steve, I understand your concern, but the Kimpossibility drive isn't just your usual run-of-the-mill hyperlight engine. I've made a few modifications to the standard Lorwardian design that should boost our speed considerably."

Mr. Barkin remained skeptical. "Oh, _really_? Been shopping on Aisle 51 for alien technology at the local Smarty Mart?"

James chuckled, "Noooo, all my own equipment this time, Steve. In the past year I've been studying how the Lorwardians procured their technology in the first place, and I've discovered that they love to pilfer the very best military tech from the worlds they've conquered. But strangely, they've shown little desire to develop or improve upon any of it, which is surprising. For example, in just one year I've found a way to increase their singularity engine's velocity by at least 25%."

He continued in a conspiratorial whisper. "And as a military man, you'll be interested to know that I've given the Kepler IV weapons and shields more powerful than even the strongest Lorwardian battlecruisers. Not that I think we'll be needing them anytime soon, but it always pays to be prepared. And all thanks to the Earth/Lorwardian Accords where we get their technology in exchange for our foodstuffs. And I understand that Koors and Palweiser beer are especially popular with the Lorwardians these days."

Mr. Barkin enjoyed a good laugh at that observation, as James continued, "It's curious though that the technology we've been getting from them lately isn't very valuable militarily. Nevertheless, it still has its advantages. Why, just last week I tested a Lorwardian microwave that can pop a bag of popcorn to absolute perfection in only five seconds flat!"

Meanwhile, Ron and Rufus found themselves deeply concerned over the mysteriously off-course asteroid, and began exchanging a private mental convo.

"_In view of Yori's vision, this certainly doesn't bode well, my friend."_

"_You can say that again, Rufus. Ya really think that a gravitational anemone might have had something to do with that wrongsick space rock?"_

Rufus silently chuckled, _"Yes, a do believe that a __gravitic anomaly__ was the cause." _

"_Then, do you think that we should warn Mr. Dr. P about what we know? Maybe we can search for anything out of the ordinary around our vicinity right now before we zip, zam, zowie and swoosh our way to Lorwardia."_

"_Well, we could probably mention it to him privately to avoid raising undue alarm with everyone else, but without the proper scientific equipment at hand, we could end up wasting a lot of time gallivanting around the asteroid belt without discovering the first thing about what's really going on. I think our best bet is to proceed to Lorwardia as planned, then devise a plan of attack along with Kim's help."_

"_Sounds good to me, Rufus. And Yori promised that we'd have at least some warning beforehand, so we still have time, I hope."_

"_So it would seem, but just how much time? It's too bad we don't have the Tempus Simia to help us."_

Ron cocked a curious eyebrow._ "The Tempus what-ia?"_

"_Oops. Never mind. Forget that I said that."_

Ron snickered,_ "Ooh, one of those 'I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you' kinda sitches?"_

Rufus giggled,_ "Something like that. It never really happened anyway, but I may tell you the story about that sometime. It's just that now's not exactly... the right time." _

As the Kepler IV proceeded on its journey, two pair of alien eyes observed the spacecraft's departure from Martian space.

"That was close, Battlevole."

"Yes, _too_ close, Warskunk."

"Do you think that we've been spotted?"

"I think not. If so, the Terrans would have taken a much closer look. They were no doubt too busy trying to avoid the asteroid we placed in their path."

"Yes. Too bad we failed to obliterate their ship. That would have capped off the test and made certain that there were no witnesses."

"True. But even so, I still say it was a mistake to continue to hide our base inside this ancient outcropping of rock. By the beard of Warhafter, under the right lighting conditions, it looks like a human face from Earth! The Terrans are a very curious race, and this formation has attracted too much attention as it is."

"I disagree, Battlevole. I still believe that it's the perfect location. Have you not heard of the human saying, 'Hide in plain sight?' Even though she's now our sworn enemy, Warmonga's intel from her previous recon missions to Earth has proven invaluable. It seems that only a few human conspiracy theorists and ufologists pay any attention to this particular location any more."

He chuckled at the thought. "And fortunately for us, those fringe groups aren't considered to be very credible witnesses by their fellow Terrans. Even if one of them _did_ spot an errant reflection from our equipment here, no one would believe them. Their haughty scientists regularly dismiss the outrageous claims that aliens must have built this structure, chalking up their eyewitness accounts to either hallucinations, swamp gas, or a reflection of the planet Venus."

Battlevole erupted in a belly laugh of his own. "Yes! And they'd be interested to know that we actually _did_ build this secret facility, in the Earth calendar year of 1938. Just in time to pick up that ridiculous Terran radio broadcast of aliens supposedly invading their territory of, what was it? New Jersey?"

"Yes, I've been there. Not much to signal home about, I assure you. But it turned out to be a hoax, but not before panicking much of their planet."

"Indeed. And I remember from one of my military history courses that the Lorwardian Emperor at the time was furious, thinking that some overly ambitious underling had taken upon himself to invade Earth on his own, and without orders."

"Hah! I would have love to have seen the face of _that_ soldier as he tried to explain his alleged actions to his superiors."

They both enjoyed another hearty laugh.

"And in yet another irony, consider that this particular radio play was based on a science-fiction novel written forty years prior to that broadcast. What was it called now? Ah, yes. _The War of the Worlds, _by the Terran author H.G. Wells_._"

"Excellent memory, Warskunk! And Lorwardia thereafter based its _own_ successful planetary invasion strategies on that brilliant work. Unfortunately, in a final irony, the only time our strategy failed was when we tried it on Earth _itself_ last year."

Warskunk snorted. "Well, once we're finished with our mission here, Earth will just be just a dim memory, if not a cautionary tale for any planet that dares to resist the military might of the Lorwardian Star Empire!"

The fiercely grinning Lorwardian adjusted the communications device and flipped a switch, encrypting the top-secret message. "Warskunk to WarRaptor. I am pleased to report that Phase One is complete, and is a total success. At your command, we are ready to begin Phase Two, the total destruction of the Terran world."

He shut off the device and smiled at his comrade. "Now let us celebrate our glorious success, Battlevole! Time to break out that last case of Palweiser."

As the Lorwardians began toasting their impending triumph, Earth slept on, unaware of the devastation they would soon be facing.

_**TBC...**_


	12. Let the Games Begin!

_As this story continues to thread its way to a ferocious climax, I wanted to acknowledge Jimmy1201, AlphaSeymour, Sentinel103, CajunBear73, Bookworm Gal, whitem, Eddy13, Oreochema, pbow, readerjunkie, reader101w, Tito-Mosquito, Katsumara, and LTA for their great reviews, and to everyone else for reading. And don't forget, leave a review and you'll get a reply from yours truly. _

_And now, sit back and enjoy the wrongsick events at Lorwardia's Interstellar Games in today's spankin' update (and with a tip of the hat and a hearty good luck to our American teams at the upcoming 2012 Summer Olympics)!_

* * *

The remainder of the Kepler IV's voyage to Lorwardia was blissfully uneventful, with only one minor exception. As Steve Barkin was shaving, all eight of the cheerleaders decided to use their hair dryers at the same time, tripping the ship's main circuit breaker and plunging the entire ship into darkness. As usual, Ron quickly came to the rescue, providing just enough illumination with his Mystical Monkey Power to allow James to effect a quick repair, while Mr. Barkin shook his head in an 'I told you so' sort of way. James, however, had been true to his word regarding his boast about the ship's higher speed, only losing a day off of their originally planned travel time.

As soon as they dropped back into normal space, Ron immediately tried to contact Kim. And as usual, his power of imagination came up with a creative way to get her attention.

Kim had just returned to her quarters after her final training session with the Lorwardian cheer squad, when her wedding ring suddenly began to glow.

"Uh, oh. Shades of the past. The last time my ring started glowing like this, I got hit by a comet."

But her fears instantly evaporated as soon as a tiny hologram of Ron appeared above her ring, lighting up her room with his pleasantly blue astral glow.

"Hey, KP! It's your one and only."

Kim exhaled in relief, "Ron! You had me scared for a moment. I thought another ferocious comet might be headed my way."

"Nah, just trying to get your attention, that's all. I had thought about spraying KP+RS with a heart around it on your wall with a little mystical mouth foam, but I figured that would have been too derivative."

She giggled, "Well, nice touch anyway, Mr. Monkey Master."

"Thanks!" He released a small sigh as he gazed longingly at his wife. "Miss you, Kim. I can't wait to see you in the flesh."

Kim warmly replied, "That goes double for me, Ron. It's wonderful to see your ghosty floaty thingy, but it's just not the same as the real thing."

He grinned back, "Well, I've been working on that too, KP."

As he increased his astral projection to its full height, he reached out to embrace her. Unlike times in the past, she now experienced an actual tactile sensation as he held her in his arms. He began to gently kiss her, the tantalizing feeling sending shivers throughout her body.

"Wow, Ron. That was just... incredible. But I really wish you hadn't done that."

He reacted with surprise, "Uh, why not, Kim?"

"Because once you get here, I'm just going to have to tear off all your clothes and have my way with you right on the spot."

He replied with a devilish grin, "Ooh, ya mean just like Shego does with Dr. D?"

Kim's pleasant mood instantly popped like a balloon. "Oh? And just how would you know about _that_?"

"Uh, mostly rumors, actually. But I'll never forget the time I mentally dropped in on them on our way back to Earth last year, accidentally catching them in the act. Wow, what he can do with those vines of his is simply amazing."

Kim stuck out her tongue in disgust. "Eww, Ron! TMI, if you don't mind?"

"Yeah, it definitely took a few bars of brain soap to remove _that _memory."

Kim's own romantic fantasy now hopelessly shattered, she tried to salvage a little of her ardor. "Well, if you can try to keep your thoughts on _me_ until you get here, I think you'll do just fine."

She added with a sly smile, "I may be known as the Great Red, but it'd be a shame if I accidentally became the Black Widow because I discovered that my husband is a psychic Peeping Tom."

Ron paled at the thought. "Uh, that's a big 10-4, KP. No problemo, cross my heart and hope to, uh, live to see another day. Anyway, I wanted to let you know that our ETA is just under 20 hours from now. And I really am looking forward to seeing you again. Seriously!"

Kim giggled back, "Me too, Mr. Stoppable. I can't wait."

But Ron's smile began to fade as he recalled Yori's fateful vision, and Kim's possible fate.

Kim picked up on the subtle change and asked, "Uh, you okay, Ron?"

He began to automatically rub the back of his neck, just like he always did when he was worried about something. "Kim, I have some news which really has me spooked. I was going to delay telling you until I saw you again, but I don't think it can wait."

Suddenly serious, Kim nodded. "Go ahead, Ron, spill."

"Right before we left, Rufus and I rescued Yori from the astral plane, where she had been stranded after trying to reach Sensei about a totally wrongsick vision that he gave her."

Kim's jaw dropped in surprise. "Sensei? But I thought he was..."

"Dead? That's only his body, Kim. His spirit's still alive and well, and his message was so im-por-tan-tay that he managed to communicate it from beyond even the astral plane."

"Whoa, spankin!' That does sound like him, though. So, uh, what's the sitch?"

Ron quickly recounted both Yori's vision and their close call with the asteroid near Mars. Kim sat down hard on her bed at the news.

"Wow, that's definitely so the drama, Ron. But we can do something about it, right?"

"I hope so. When your dad checked with Dr. Chen at the Middleton Observatory, he said that he spotted some gravitational anemones near Mars."

A vision of colorful sea creatures floating in space popped into Kim's mind.

"I think he probably meant _anomalies_, Ron."

"Oh, right. Rufus thinks so too. Anyway, that's another piece to this whole gorchy puzzle."

"Yup, and I've got a strong feeling that all these things are tied together somehow. All we've got to do is connect the dots. I've also got a hunch we're going to find the answers right here on Lorwardia. And when we do, we'll all be in just the right place at just the right time."

Suddenly feeling a spark of hope, Ron agreed. "Some good guy serendipity would be really coolio right about now, KP. And I remember what happened the_ last _time you, me, Drakken and Shego all got together to fight the bad guys."

"Yeah, but since we know that there are some Lorwardians behind all this, they'll probably remember that too, which means we better be prepared for anything, just in case. So thanks for the heads up, Ron. And don't worry, we'll beat 'em again, just like the last time."

She smiled at her husband and gave a relaxed shrug. "It's what we do."

Ron tried to answer with a confidence he really didn't feel. "Yeah, Kim, I know. But we're not just dealing with minor villains who want to take over the world anymore. This sounds like an interstellar conspiracy, with a hundred worlds depending on what we do next, and it's really starting to _freak me out!_"

Kim tried to calm her fretful husband. "Whoa, Ron, chill out! I haven't seen you this upset since before we graduated from Middleton High. What happened to that confident Mystical Monkey Master I married?"

Ron suddenly realized what the source of his fear was. It was the same fear that had plagued him at the time of his high school graduation: the fear of losing Kim. And the dark insinuation of Yori's vision only fed the flames of his increasing anxiety.

He swallowed hard. "Kim, just promise me one thing. Please?"

She casually responded, "Sure, Ron. No problem."

But Ron shot back with an intensity bordering on panic. "I really mean it, Kim! Cross your heart and hope to... urk... uh, stay alive?"

Realizing just how serious he was, she carefully replied, "Okay, Ron. What do you want me to promise?"

"That you'll be really, _really_ careful. I promised I'd always have your back, but there have been times when I've almost slipped up."

"But they've been really rare, Ron. You're only human."

"Yeah, but if anything ever happened to you, and it was my fault, I'd never forgive myself."

Kim smiled warmly back at him. "Ron, this is just one of the many reasons I love you so much. Because I know you really, deeply care about me. And I care every bit as much for you, too. But like I said recently, although our powers don't guarantee us immortality, they do give us a spankin' edge. So I promise that I'll be really careful, just as long as you do the same."

Ron finally began to relax. "You've got a deal, KP. See you real soon."

As Ron faded from sight, Kim couldn't help but feel that something was still bothering him, something that he still wasn't willing to share. But she figured she'd find out soon enough.

* * *

Less than 20 hours later, Ron and the Middleton cheer squad arrived on Lorwardia. Kim and Shego were on hand to greet them, and Kim wasted no time in planting a huge kiss on her very accommodating husband. Bonnie simply rolled her eyes at the overtly romantic display, but snickered happily when she noticed Mr. Barkin doing exactly the same thing.

For his part, James merely chuckled. "Uh, Kimmie-cub? Whenever you have a moment."

Coming up for air, she smiled contentedly at her father. "Sure, Dad. What's the sitch?"

"We had a little run in with a rogue asteroid on our way here, and I was wondering if there was anyone here who could take a look at the Kepler IV and perhaps repair it?"

Shego replied, "Sure, James. I'll have one of our wartechs take a look."

"Uh, thanks, Shego. Or should I address you as Your Highness?"

Even after a year, James was still a little uncomfortable with the fact that Kim's fiercest evil adversary throughout high school (not counting Bonnie of course) had turned out to be her cousin, and therefore his niece. And now, Lorwardia's Princess Regent as well.

"Nah, just Shego is fine. With all the kowtowing I get around here, I don't need to subject my, uh, _family_ to that too."

"I'm just glad that you're now working for the common good as a heroic villainess."

He tapped his chin. "Or is that villainous heroine?"

Kim smiled as she noted the confusion on her father's face. "Well everyone, let's rock. The Interstellar Game's opening ceremonies start in just an hour."

After quickly checking into their respective quarters, they all rushed to the sports stadium and were just in time to join the spectacular opening ceremonies. Massed Lorwardian brass bands blared out their martial tunes, but in comparison to the past, this now signified worlds united in peace instead of opposed in war. Along with the other alien sports teams, the happy teens from Earth marched around the stadium, cheerfully waving at the huge audience of nearly a million beings from a hundred worlds.

Warmonga was on hand to proudly begin the unprecedented competition. A hush fell over the stadium as she lifted her hand for quiet. With an imperious voice she ordered, "Let the games begin!"

Huge cheers broke out as the first ever Interstellar Games finally got under way. First up were the competitions between the various alien soccer teams. Earth easily came out on top in their playoffs, with its dream team comprised of the world's best players. They were energetically rallied by Middleton's former cheer squad, capably led by Bonnie Rockwaller. But having been expertly trained by Kim Possible, Lorwardia's cheerleaders easily whipped their own team into a frenzy, who likewise won all of their matches. The showdown between the two teams to be held on the following night promised to be spectacular.

This was just as well, since the zero-G roller derby matches that evening had to be called off due to the massive injuries suffered by virtually every team opposing the Lorwardians. Indeed, no game could be played to a conclusion before any team facing the fierce warriors had suffered 100% casualties and being forced to forfeit, Lorwardia gleefully sweeping all the medals by default. Kim was thankfully that there had been no actual fatalities, but sadly recalled Warmonga's fascination with the game from the year before.

"Wow, Ron. I think that Warmonga did her homework a little too well in studying the rules of _that_ game."

Ron replied, "You said it, KP. I'm just glad these aren't winter games. As bad as this was, can you imagine the badical carnage that would have happened at a Lorwardian _ice hockey_ game?"

Kim gave an involuntary shiver at the thought.

But things went much differently during the swimming competitions the following morning. The aquatic worlds easily took nearly every medal to be had, the few Lorwardians in this aspect of the competition angrily sulking at their defeat. This was of course not surprising as they had lived on a dry, arid world for most of their lives. Even knowing ahead of time that they'd be at a severe disadvantage, their pride forced them to compete anyway. And this inadvertently caused some rather humorous public humiliation when their entire coordinated swim team accidentally fell into the pool, emptying it of nearly every drop of water in the ensiung splash that followed. The juicy gossip about the _un_-coordinated Lorwardian swim team quickly made its way throughout the alien community, much to their host's chagrin.

But they had sworn that this afternoon would be different, or so they hoped. Devoted to track and field events, the Lorwardians confidently looked forward to trouncing their alien competitors, their proud military history spurring them on as the lure of gold medals glittered before them like the the worlds they had conquered so long ago.

The first sport of the afternoon was the weight lifting competition. With so many competing worlds attending, most events allowed only one competitor, and each took their turn in lifting progressively heavier weights. Next to last was the Earth's strongest man, a swarthy athlete from a former Russian republic. He grunted fiercely as he tried to match his record-breaking lift on Earth of just over a thousand pounds. But straining under Lorwardia's much heavier gravity, he was unable to even budge the barbell, having to settle on lifting a mere 750 pounds. Even so, it was enough to earn him the top spot so far, guaranteeing at least a silver medal for Earth to the wild cheers of the human spectators.

Bonnie and her charges energetically led them in a wave while Ron went wild with his mouth foam, his dwindling supply being supplemented by a quick trip to aisle 24 of the local Smarty-Mart.

"_Three! Five! Seven! Nine! Earth's great teams are really fine!_"

WarLion, the Lorwardian athlete, was last. Naturally acclimated to his own planet's gravity, he was able to lift over two thousand pounds with ease, to which the Terran judge immediately voiced an objection.

"Hey! You have no problem doing that because you're _from _this planet! In all fairness, I demand that something be done to level the playing field!"

The gigantic Lorwardian immediately marched over to the judge, each step he took thundering throughout the huge stadium.

"What was that, _human_?"

But before the judge could answer, the immense weightlifter grabbed him by the collar and lifted him high over his head with one arm, easily hefting the massive barbell in the other.

As the crowd gasped in awe, the Lorwardian snarled, "You were saying?"

The judge gurgled back, "Objection withdrawn..."

"Good call." As the strongman tossed the hapless judge to the ground, the Lorwardian arbiter intervened and angrily announced, "The contestants will cease to intimidate the judges, or else any medals won shall immediately be forfeit."

The weightlifter snarled back disdainfully, but finally backed off, nodding his head in acknowledgment.

The arbiter's voice echoed throughout the stadium. "And the first gold medal of the afternoon goes to WarLion of Lorwardia!"

Ron sent a quick thought to his wife. "_KP, I bet you could have lifted that two thousand pound barbell PLUS that goon of a Lorwardian, if you had decided to compete._"

Kim quickly responded, "_Yeah, Ron. We both know I could have, but my mission here is to try to prevent any more wars, not provoke one._"

The victor raised his arms in triumph as the Lorwardian Cheer Squad went wild with glee. But the alien spectators responded with only tepid applause, their enthusiasm squelched by an official proclamation made at noon that day that anyone booing or jeering a Lorwardian would be imprisoned for the remainder of the games.

The shot put competition was next. With a tremendous grunt, the Lorwardian athlete hurled the heavy projectile as hard as he could, tossing it as easily as a small pebble. The heavy lead ball sailed up, up, and away. But he had thrown it so hard that it flew completely out of the stadium. A few moments later, Kim's enhanced hearing picked up the crash of broken glass and a Lorwardian female's curse at the far side of town. She smiled in silent pleasure at the faux pas as her crack cheer squad continued to rally their home team.

The interplanetary judges immediately posted their scores to the boos of the Lorwardians, quickly explaining that although their favored athlete had indeed thrown the object clear out of the stadium, he had failed to land the lead ball within the confines of the target area, and was therefore disqualified.

The Terran shot putter was next, and easily made his throw within the required bounds, gaining the highest score yet, to even more jeers from the Lorwardian spectators.

Ron sent a cautious thought to Kim. "_Ooh, Kim. The crowd's getting ugly. And they weren't that attractive to begin with_."

The next event was the discus throw. The Lorwardian competitor stepped into the circle and hurled the leaden disc as hard as he could. But again, it was thrown so hard that it too sailed over the stadium wall. Between its velocity, spin and perfect aerodynamics, it actually achieved low orbit around the planet before landing nearly an hour later, burying itself deep into Lorwardia's south pole. It would be discovered many years later by archaeologists who erroneously concluded that life must had originally begun on Lorwardia after being seeded by otherworldly bacteria from this strange meteorite.

As the athlete left the circle, the arbiter's voice once again echoed throughout the stadium. "Sorry, but BattleRhino has also been disqualified. As we cannot tell where or even _if _the discus hit the ground, we must assume that the competitor left the circle before it landed, which is in clear violation of the rules."

Angry boos and catcalls were heard once again from the Lorwardians in the audience, but mild laughter was heard from the rest, only to be quickly silenced by the fierce looks from the Lorwardian Guard.

The next athlete was a creature from Arcturus IV. Although he managed to land his discus within the bounds of the course, he too was disqualified, as he used one of his tentacles to reach halfway across the field before releasing it.

More chuckles were heard, but since it wasn't a Lorwardian this time, the guards joined in with the laughter.

A human athlete was next, and being one of the only competitors to land his discus within the bounds of the course, managed to win the gold medal once again. The Lorwardians fumed at the slight, and their cheer squad shifted into high gear as they desperately attempted to encourage their faltering contestants.

Ron snickered to himself and sent a brief thought to Kim. "_Brawn over brain. Seems to be a real habit with these guys._"

Kim replied in kind with chuckle of her own. "_Ya think? Hey, Earth might even win more medals than Lorwardia if they keep this up._"

Next was the javelin throw. The human Olympian made a very respectable throw of nearly 350 feet, beating every other opponent up to this point. But last came the Lorwardian athlete, who hefted the javelin as if it were a mere toothpick. Furiously launching it into the air, the result was predictable. With a loud swoosh, the spear easily disappeared over the opposite side of the stadium. As the javelin flew out of sight, several aliens broke out laughing, only to be quickly arrested by the angry guards. But they didn't seem to mind, knowing that they'd have a terrific tale to tell once they returned to their home worlds. A tourist caught the errant javelin's impact on video as it nearly skewered a duck swimming in the middle of Lake Kimberly, screeching its annoyance at the accidental attack.

But the Lorwardians as well as their cheer squad had now been pushed to the breaking point. Forgetting that this was merely a sports competition, their squad leader now began to view the human cheerleaders as an enemy force to be crushed, as they were clearly aiding and abetting the teams of their former conquests. Silently vowing revenge and compelled by her military training, the squad leader furiously yelled out, "Squad, _attack!_"

Without a second thought, the terrifying females all began rushing directly at Ron, assuming him to be the alpha male of the group and therefore its leader, not realizing he was only the group's mascot. Not expecting this, and suddenly having a flashback to similar events back in high school, he panicked. Running as fast as he could to escape the angry Amazonian teenagers, he suddenly found himself on the course for the hundred yard dash, ironically just as the starting pistol sounded. Now fleeing in mortal terror, his Mystical Monkey Power automatically kicked in, and he took an immediate lead as he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Kim! _HELLLP!_"

Now glowing bright blue, he raced across the finish line in record time. Kim had quickly duplicated herself and interposed her bright red doppelgangers between herselves and the enraged cheerleaders, bringing them to a swift halt.

"Whoa there, ladies! A quick lesson in sportsmanship: even if the other team's doing better, that doesn't give you the right to go on the offensive. This is still a sporting event, _not _all-out war. Clear?"

She fired up her plasma to underscore her point, and one by one the female cheerleaders reluctantly complied.

Just then, Ron tore across the finish line. The arbiter declared, "With a galactic record of 5.95 seconds, the winner of the 100-yard dash is a last-minute Terran entry, Ron Stoppable!"

As the entire stadium broke out in tumultuous applause, Ron gave an awkward bow and started walking back toward his own cheer squad. With a goofy grin on his face, he addressed Kim, now back into her singular form.

"Sorry I freaked out there, KP. And thanks for watching my back."

"No big, Ron," she chuckled. "Eight Lorwardian cheerleaders out for blood can be ferociously intimidating."

Suddenly becoming quite serious, Ron continued, "Yeah, I was startled for a moment, but that's not why I kept running."

"Really? So why did you then?"

"Well, for one thing, it would have blown my cover as Earth's goofy mascot. But it was also for their protection: I don't think anyone would have appreciated a full display of my Mystical Monkey Power against those Lorwardian teens. But please don't get me wrong, KP, I'm not trying to brag. I'm really over my big-headniness of the past. It's just that I still have nightmares about what I ended up doing to Warhok."

As Kim looked through his mask and deep into his eyes, she could tell that Ron was still haunted by what he'd been forced to do to protect both her, and Earth.

"Don't worry about it, Ron. You did what you had to do. It's not like you had much choice."

"Yeah, maybe _then_, KP, but what about _now_? As Earth's ambassador to Lorwardia, you would have had some, uh, some serious splainin' to do for the ensuing badical carnage."

Kim stopped short, suddenly realizing what would have likely become of her charges should Ron have given vent to the full fury of his powers.

She replied with a shiver, "Whoa. Then I guess you made a good call. Any ferocious injuries you would have inflicted wouldn't have looked too good, even in self defense."

She began to smile, however, as she realized exactly what Ron capable of. Or more accurately, what he wasn't capable of. "But I trust you a lot more than you trust yourself, Ron. Because you have a lot more self control than you give yourself credit for. "

She gave him a warm hug, and was pleased to feel him finally relax in her arms as his mystical energy powered down.

"Thanks, KP. That means a lot coming from you."

As Ron resumed his place as the Mad Dog mascot, Bonnie gave him a sidelong glance. "Nice going, Stoppable. You sure have some real dumb luck sometimes."

From beneath his mask, he grinned back, "Not dumb _luck_, Bonnie. Dumb _skill_."

Steve Barkin turned to James and tsked, "Well, Possible, I see who wears the pants in _that_ family."

In spite of Ron's apparent panic, James could only laugh in response. "Oh? I think Warmonga and the late, unlamented Warhok might have something to say about that, Steve. I seem to remember a certain _vice-principal_ cowering in mortal terror during that first Lorwardian attack. You know, the one that Ronald turned back nearly single-handed, by the way?"

As Barkin turned a bright shade of red at the memory, he decided that discretion was indeed the better part of valor. "Well, those mad running skills of his as Middleton's halfback _did _get us into the playoffs that year..."

* * *

Meanwhile, repairs had just been completed on the Kepler IV.

"Well, wartech. How does it look?"

"Very good, Battlefox. The hull is as good as new."

He whispered another question. "And the device?"

The wartech whispered back, "In place, and operational. It will arm itself once lightspeed is attained, and then activate once the ship drops back to sublight."

"Excellent. I will inform WarRaptor of your success."

From deep within his command center, WarRaptor had been observing the games with intense dissatisfaction as he awaited a particular signal. A light appeared on his comm board.

"That had better be Battlefox, with some _good_ news for a change."

His subordinate appeared and excitedly reported, "Commander, all is prepared and is in complete readiness. Operation Omega may commence at your command."

WarRaptor responded to the report with a wolfish smile. "Excellent, Battlefox. So the brain-switch machine is in place beneath the stadium, and the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer has been installed on the human's spacecraft?"

"Affirmative, Commander."

"Very well. Return to your post here at the command center. We shall relocate to our new ops room as soon as the final soccer match begins between Lorwardia and the Terrans this evening."

The commander's grin widened as he swicthed to his ultra-long range communications device.

"This is WarRaptor. Phase 2 of Operation Omega is now authorized. You may begin firing when ready."

"This is Warskunk. Acknowledged, WarRaptor. Commencing firing sequence. Warskunk out."

As the communication ended, WarRaptor let out a low laugh deep in his throat. "Yes, you miserable Terrans. Go ahead and win your pitiful sports contests, because I've got you all exactly where I want you. For tonight, WarRaptor will have the last laugh, and the galaxy shall once again tremble at the mention of Lorwardia..."

_**TBC...**_


	13. Victory and Defeat

_Things are coming to a head as we reach the halfway point in this story, and our villains finally set their evil machinations into motion. But as those who are familiar with my stories know, things aren't always as they seem, especially when I start throwing cliffies at ya'll... and there are many more thrills and spills to come: some expected, and some that will definitely take you by surprise. But first, my thanks to this week's reviewers: Sentinel103, levi2000a1, CajunBear73, AlphaSeymour, Eddy13, Bookworm Gal, LTA, Oreochema, Katsumara, readerjunkie and Tito-Mosquito. And remember, leave a review and you'll get a reply, and maybe a hint or two of what's to come. And there's still a whole badical lot to come!_

* * *

After the afternoon's competitions were concluded and the awards presented, Shego asked Kim to meet her in her office both to celebrate Earth's victories, and to discuss a troubling diplomatic development.

Kim took a seat in Shego's posh office and cheerfully began, "Well Shego, it looks like human brain won out over Lorwardian brawn today, and I couldn't be happier. And we haven't heard a peep from that Grallx character or any of the other conspirators you found out about while on Parfa. Who knows, maybe that stolen PDVI malfunctioned and sent them all into some parallel universe."

Shego added with a snort, "Or else a Lorwardian sitcom."

Kim cautiously surmised, "I'd like to think that they all just got cold feet once they found out that the same team that clobbered them the last time are all back here together on Lorwardia, but some bad guys never seem to learn. Present company excluded, of course."

This earned her a smirk from the former villainess. "Thanks. At least I was actually one of the good guys to begin with. Besides, these guys have only had about a year to overcome their centuries of arrogance."

She continued with a sly grin, "But _I've _had a whole year and a half."

Kim returned her smile with a chuckle. "Cute, Shego. Speaking of which, how do you feel about being on the right side of the law again after so long? All over those anger issues with your brothers now?"

Shego airily waved her hand and sarcastically replied, "Oh, just fantastic, Kimmie! With my new devil-may care attitude, I feel like skipping through fields of flowers singing like a complete moron."

Kim burst out laughing. "Now _that's _the Shego I remember." She continued a little more calmly, "And I do know Middleton wasn't just built in a day. Or rebuilt, as the case may be. I just hope that all of this this isn't the calm before the storm."

Shego echoed Kim's feelings. "You said it, Kim. And not everything's coming up roses, which is why I wanted to meet in person, instead of over a comm link that might be monitored. I've just received some disturbing news from one of my contacts in Drakken's high command. There's been a halt in any further troop withdrawals from the occupied worlds, and I expect I'll be receiving orders real soon to renegotiate the final withdrawal date specified in the Earth/Lorwardian Accords by using the Lorwardian solar year, which is a few months longer than Earth's."

"But why? All that'll do is delay the inevitable. Stalling for time is so not the usual sitch with these guys."

"Yeah, it sounds so..."

"Sick and wrong?"

Shego chuckled. "You've been around the Ronster _way_ too long, Princess. But I gotta agree, it doesn't sit too well with me either. And there's more. I also just found out that for the past several months, any shipments of military or hyperlight technology to Earth have been replaced by anything but."

"Well, that would explain why the Tweebs were watching an import of 'Lorwardia's Funniest Military Bloopers' while I was getting ready for this trip."

"Yeah, but the weirdest thing is that these orders didn't come from Warmonga or the High Council, but from somewhere within the High Command."

Kim frowned, "Hmm. Not through diplomatic channels, but military ones. I don't like the sound of that."

"Yeah. You'd think that orders like these would come right from the top. But when I asked him, Dr. D said he had no idea about any of this. If it _had_ been his idea, he would have spilled his guts to me, gloating over his malevolent plan for galactic domination. So he couldn't be behind it. And even more curious, whoever's calling the shots must know full well I'm gonna spill the beans to both you, Dr. D and Warmonga."

"Whoa. Now I _really _don't like the sound of that. Top leaders being kept out of the loop? I'll bet once we find the source of these orders, we'll find the source of the conspiracy too. Let's hope Ron and Camille have some luck in flushing them out before the award ceremonies begin. Which reminds me, I need to be back at the stadium pretty soon, since Warmonga's making a special address to the crowd right before the final soccer match begins."

"So do I, but there's a few things I need to wrap up here first, so I'll meet you there. But first, a little toast to both our athlete's success, and our success in cracking this conspiracy."

She pulled out a small bottle of wine and uncorked it.

"Uh, Shego, I'm not 21 yet."

Shego laughed lightly. "But you're on Lorwardia now, Kimmie. So those rules don't apply here. So humor your cousin and just have a taste. I'm interested in what you think of this."

Kim complied, taking a careful sip. "Wow, this is actually pretty spankin.' What is it?"

"It's a 2008 White Zinfandel from... _Drakken Vineyards_."

Kim's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Get out of here! Drakken's into wine-making now?"

"Sure. He figured he needed something to fall back on in case his sugar production for Hank's Intergalactic Cupcakes didn't pan out..."

* * *

Meanwhile, Ron and Camille were strolling about the streets of Lorwardia Prime. Camille had assumed the form of Grallx, thanks to Debutante's memory of the Parfan shapeshifter that Ron had tapped into. For his part, Ron continued to wear his Mad Dog mask. Lost in a sea of visiting alien lifeforms, he blended in with absolutely no difficulty. Together they hoped to spark a reaction among the Lorwardian conspirators behind the techno thefts and force them to tip their hand before they had a chance to act. But time was running out. Kim and Shego both felt that if they made their move, it would have to be before the awards ceremony concluded that evening.

Camille wasn't particularly enjoying herself though, thinking that she'd rather be out shopping and having her photo taken by hordes of admiring papparazi. But considering the fact that all she had to do was walk around and be seen actually fit her personality quite well, and Ron kept up a mental convo with the prickly heiress as they strolled along the wide avenue.

"_Hey, Camille, you're doing great. I'm not picking up anyone's reactions quite yet, but I figure it's only a matter of time_."

Camille thought back, _"Well, I hope it's soon, cuz I'm bored, bored, bored. Just as long as I can do some really serious shopping once this is all over. But I have to admit, these telepathetic chats do pass the time pretty well. So our little undercovery mission couldn't be easier."_

Ron nodded back silently. _"Yup, a piece of cake. And since there's probably a military connection with the conspiracy, all we have to do is wander close enough to any gorchy guards we spot and see what kind of reaction we can proroke. Look, there's a few right there."_

As the two disguised humans sauntered by them, the two nine-foot-tall soldiers ignored Ron, but sneered at Camille. She mentally asked, _"Any epic brainwaves, Ron?"_

"_Nah, they both seem pretty bored, actually. One's thinking that they'll blow our soccer team away in tonight's gold medal competition, and the other one's wondering which sports bar to celebrate at. But they're both wondering what a Parfan like you is doing here on Lorwardia. It sounds like they act like guides for the Lorwardians's Thorgoggle hunts, and rarely travel off-world."_

"_What's a Thorgoggle?"_

Ron sent her a mental image of one, and she reacted predictably. _"Eww! That thing's really grody! Forget that I asked..."_

He almost commented on how some people view hairless sphynx cats, but thought better of it.

At that moment, one of WarRaptor's ubiquitous security cameras picked up the pair. Battlefox instantly spotted them and notified his commander.

"WarRaptor, come take a look at this. Isn't that our shapeshifter friend walking out in the open?"

The ringleader frowned in anger. "What in the name of Warhafter... I ordered Grallx to stay hidden! And now I find him wandering around the city like a frackling tourist! And what on Lorwardia is that thing with him?"

Battlefox drolly replied, "It looks a bit like a Terran bulldog."

WarRaptor made a disgusting face. "Yes, an extremely ugly Terran bulldog. Bring both of them in. I want to find out exactly what's going on."

His subordinate relayed the message through the dispatcher to the two guards, who immediately stopped the disguised humans. "All right, you two. Come with us."

Ron tried to stall, still not picking up any incriminating thoughts from the guards. "Uh, what's this about, officer? I don't think we were breaking any jaywalking laws. But on a foreign planet, I guess anything's possible..."

As they were being lead away, Ron sent a quick thought to Camille. "_Just play along, but don't say anything. We may have just hit a bon-diggety nerve somewhere, and we're probably being taken to someone who actually __knows what's going on."_

He also sent a mental message to Kim. _"KP, we may have just hit pay dirt! Two guards are taking us in right now."_

Kim immediately responded, _"Awesome, Ron! Shego's right here, so I'll let her know. I'm on my way to the stadium right now, so just send me a spankin' brainwave if you find anything out." _

Ron and Camille were both marched into WarRaptor's office, where the fuming Lorwardian awaited them.

"Grallx! You were ordered to lay low until we had a chance to get you off-planet, and yet I find you wandering around as if you were a frackling tourist! Explain yourself!"

Camille glanced at Ron, expecting some mental guidance about how to reply, but strangely heard nothing.

Ron was perplexed at his sudden inability to send or receive any thoughts at all from anyone. He tried to read WarRaptor's mind, but was also unable to read a single thing. In fact, all he heard was mental raster, as if a white noise machine was running inside his head.

"_Oh, man, t__his is so not good. It's like someone encased my mind in a cloud of fog_."

He sighed, "_Just like most of high school_."

Ron continued his attempt at mind reading, but began to panic when he realized that unless he was able to pull off his planned mental tricks, he and Camille were both in deep trouble.

As he began to sweat beneath his mask with the continued effort, WarRaptor's patience began to wear thin. "Well?"

Camille quickly coughed into her hand and muttered an apology. "Sorry."

The Lorwardian looked at her askance and questioned, "Something the matter with your voice? You don't sound well."

She coughed again as she quickly thought up an excuse. "Just a cold. I was looking for a drug store where I could get some cough syrup."

WarRaptor huffed, "Well, why didn't you say so in the first place? I could have sent a subordinate to get you what you needed without you leaving the building and needlessly exposing yourself."

He continued in a conspiratorial whisper, "And I hear that Smarty-Mart has a two for one special, this week only."

Next he looked suspiciously at Ron. "And just who is your friend here?"

Ron quickly tried to think of a plausible answer that would avoid blowing his cover, deciding that something close to the truth might just work. He babbled, "I'm, er, a foreign exchange student, studying, uh, _cooking!_"

WarRaptor barked out an incredulous laugh. "You're studying _cooking_? On _Lorwardia_?"

Ron pulled awkwardly at his collar. "Yeah, I'm, uh, collecting Thorgoggle recipes for my final dissertation?"

The Lorwardian scratched his beard, not looking quite convinced. "Indeed. I like mine braised, after tenderizing for a few days in a nice xarthex marinade."

"Yeah, braising is definitely the way to go. The meat's too tough otherwise, even after marinating it for a week, a-yup-yup."

Just as WarRaptor began to nod in agreement, Shego suddenly swept into the command center. Even though she was totally removed from the normal chain of command, her fierce reputation preceded her, and everyone immediately snapped to attention. Drakken may have technically been their ultimate superior, but Shego naturally instilled quite a bit more fear into them than their boss. And especially at this awkward moment, as Shego should have been nowhere near the command center at this time.

"WarShego! What a, um, pleasant surprise. And what may I do for Your Highness today?"

She carefully looked over the Parfan who had apparently been eluding the entire Lorwardian Home Guard for weeks. But knowing that this was really Camille in disguise, she flashed a wide smile at WarRaptor and said, "I see you've finally apprehended the elusive fugitive. And I'm pretty sure that Dogface here is wanted on, um, at least _eleven planets_. Good work."

"Thank you, WarShego, but..."

Not allowing WarRaptor to continue, she ordered, "Warmonga and the Great Blue have given me orders to interrogate these two immediately."

She frowned at the pair and commanded, "Both of you, come with me."

As she quickly pushed them both out the door, WarRaptor continued to bluster impotently. "But this is highly irregular, WarShego! Our facilities here are more than adequate for any interrogation..."

Without a second thought, she ignited one glove with a powerful fwoosh of plasma. "Talk to the hand, WarRaptor."

Knowing that any further objections might prove quite painful, he mumbled back, "Yes, yes of course..."

As the door closed behind them, Shego swiftly marched them down the hall. Ron whispered, "Thanks, Shego. You showed up just in time."

She shushed him until they were all the way down the corridor and out of the building.

"Quick, both of you into my groundcar."

They quickly complied as Shego floored the vehicle, sending up a cloud of dust and gravel.

Back inside the command center, Battlefox hissed, "Now what? If Grallx talks, our entire plot is doomed, and us with it!"

WarRaptor growled back, "Calm yourself, Battlefox. Let's not panic just yet. Something doesn't seem quite right here."

He thought for a moment, then ordered, "Play back the recording of today's games, time sequence 1645 point 10."

Battlefox begrudgingly complied as he snarled back, "And what exactly are you looking for?"

The recording began to play right at the point when Ron ran onto the track in panic, accidentally winning the event. The announcer gushed, "With a galactic record of 5.95 seconds, the winner of the 100-yard dash is a last-minute Terran entry, Ron Stoppable!"

"There! Freeze that!"

Battlefox hit the pause button. There stood Ron, wearing his Mad Dog mask. The very same mask that they had just observed on the person who had just left with Shego and Grallx.

WarRaptor cursed in anger. "Frackle! Stay right here. There's something I need to check on first."

A minute later, WarRaptor opened the door to Grallx's quarters. There sat the Parfan shapeshifter, quietly reading the latest issue of _Thorgoggle Monthly_.

"Something wrong, WarRaptor?"

The Lorwardian hit his wristcomm so hard he nearly broke the device.

"Battlefox! I'm implementing Phase 3 immediately. We appear to have a Parfan imposter wandering about, and as that could upset things rather quickly, I'm accelerating our timetable. As soon as you notify Wolfenstrike, meet me as soon as possible at the designated location. We haven't a moment to lose!"

* * *

As the trio of humans roared away from the command center, Ron smirked, "So, Shego. I must be moving up in the world, now that I'm wanted on eleven planets."

She smirked back, "Yeah, I was only wanted in eleven _countries_ back on Earth, so I figured you'd appreciate that."

As they all began to relax, Shego continued, "Lucky for you two that I started monitoring the Home Guard dispatch frequency as soon as Kim told me you were being taken in. I was on my way as soon as I knew where they'd been ordered to take you."

Ron exhaled in relief. "Good thing, too. I don't know how much longer I could have stalled that oversized gorilla."

Camille whined, "Yeah, what happened with you back there anyway? I thought you'd give me _some_ kind of mental cluey thingy about what to say."

Ron frowned back, "I dunno, it was real weird. I couldn't seem to send any bon-diggity thoughts of my own, or pick up anyone else's either. I've never experienced anything like it."

Shego looked worried. "I think I might know the reason why. I just found out that WarRaptor had a thought scrambler installed inside the Command Center last week. There's a few telepathic races in the games that he wanted to make sure didn't get wind of any Lorwardian secrets, so he claimed. But come to think of it, he probably knows about your mental powers too, which explains why he got his shorts in a bunch after catching who he thought was that Grallx dude wandering out in the open. And that's probably the reason why he hauled both of you in just now."

Ron continued her train of thought. "So that puts him at Numero Uno on our Top Ten list of suspiciousy suspects."

Shego nodded, "Ya got that right. Now to give Drakken and Kimmie the heads up."

She flipped her wristcomm on, but frowned when it failed to activate. "What the hell?" She tried the comm unit in her groundcar, but with the same result. "Damn, none of the comm channels are working! Ron, can you get a mental message to Kim?"

Ron immediately tried to comply, but winced in pain as soon as he did so. "Wow, I'm getting that wrongsick mental raster again, but it's ten times worse now."

A chill went up Shego's spine. "I think they're on to us. WarRaptor must have amped up that thought scrambler and may be broadcasting it all over the city by now. Which means we're out of time."

She tried to think quickly. "Okay, the final ceremonies before the championship soccer match are about to start. I'm going to drop you two outside the stadium. Try to warn Kim that I think something big is going down real quick. I'm going back to try and find Drew. He's probably in his office at the Command Center, and if he doesn't know what's going on, he'll probably be finding out real quick."

She added with a grimace, "One way or the other."

Screeching to a halt in front of the stadium, Shego popped the door open. "Okay, you two. Good luck."

At that moment, the stadium was filled to capacity in anticipation of the final event of the games, the final match between Earth vs. Lorwardia. The game was being broadcast live all over Lorwardia, and uplinks were also in place so that Earth could also watch the final battle of the titans. Some were resigned to a Lorwardian shutout, but others just snickered in reply, reminding them that David had ultimately perservered against Goliath, and that this wouldn't be the first time Earth had prevailed against Lorwardia.

The crowd was buzzing with anticipation as Warmonga rose and lifted her hand for silence. It took several minutes for the huge crowd to quiet down, but a hush soon fell over the entire audience. She lowered her hand and begun speaking.

"This is a momentous day for the entire galaxy. As the first ever Interstellar Games comes to a close, we are reminded that for the first time in countless centuries, the galaxy is at peace. And these games have shown us that it need not be an uneasy peace, but that we may live together in mutual benefit, as long as our respective... _inclinations_ have a healthy and creative outlet. It took an apparently weak and defenseless world to teach us this lesson, but it is a lesson that we Lorwardians have taken to heart. And we hold nothing but gratitude to those humans who have showed us a new and better way, a new path to walk, and new goals to seek after. Goals that will ultimately benefit every race and planet in this galaxy."

She turned to acknowledge the person ultimately responsible for this unlikely turn of events.

"And at the very top of that list of humans is Kim Possible, Earth's ambassador to Lorwardia."

Warmonga motioned for Kim to stand, who was sitting in the front row of Earth's sports delegation. She awkwardly rose and smiled at the crowd who first began applauding, then cheering wildly, everyone rising to their feet. Nearly one million Lorwardians, aliens and an odd assortment of humans rose to their feet in honor of the girl who had proven she really could do anything. And this time, the result wasn't simply world peace for the Earth and Lorwardia, but galactic peace for the hundred worlds between. Kim blushed brightly at the incredible honor, and happily waved back at the crowd.

Bonnie reluctantly rose as well to offer her own half-hearted applause, as she thought to herself, "_Hey, they should be clapping for me and our cheer squad too, since we're responsible for cheering Earth's athletes on to victory_..."

But as she did, she accidentally dropped her cellphone. As it hit the ground, the batteries popped out, gently rolling beneath the imperial stand.

As Bonnie quickly scrambled to retrieve the batteries, she grumbled to herself, "Nice one, Rockwaller. Nothing like being clumsy in front of literally the whole world. Make that _two_ worlds. Boy, I'll never live _this_ down..."

Just then, Ron and Camille ran through the west gate and into the stadium. Spotting Kim, Ron tried again to send a mental warning to her, but found that his brainwaves were still blocked.

It was at this moment that it happened.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kim spotted the bright flash of the explosion, the terrific impact of which hit her a split second later, knocking her to the ground. For an instant she thought that she might have been the target, until she looked up at the now burning dais, pieces of which had collapsed into a smooth, gaping hole where the imperial review stand had stood only moments before.

"Warmonga!" she yelled. But the explosion had apparently incinerated her instantly. The human delegation had been right next to the blast zone, part of their own stand collapsing as well, trapping several of the cheerleaders in the debris. Quickly activating her super strength, Kim began to glow an intense shade of blue as she swiftly pulled them from the wreckage.

She yelled out, "Is everyone all right?"

Checking them all over, she was amazed to discover that everyone's injuries were relatively minor, miraculously sharing only a few cuts and bruises between them.

"Dad, Mr. Barkin, get the cheer squad back to our quarters! It's not safe here. I'll contact you later."

James countered, "But it's not safe for you either, Kimmie. Wouldn't it be better..."

She quickly cut him off. "No time to argue, Dad. Just do it, please? I'll be fine."

She gave him a quick hug before turning back to peer into the chasm, hoping against hope to spot any other survivors. But she could only note with horror that whatever device had been used had completely vaporized a perimeter exactly twenty feet in diameter, along with virtually everything within it. Not an iota of anything or anyone caught within that area now remained. A sickening feeling swept over her as she suddenly realized who else had just been within that zone.

"Oh, no! _Bonnie_…"

Her broken cell phone lay on the ground, just at the edge of the deadly pit.

Against the tide of the now-panicked crowd, Ron quickly made his way to Kim's side. Now glowing blue with his own Mystical Monkey Power, they both stared down into the yawning chasm, grimly realizing that even in spite of their formidable abilities, they hadn't been able to prevent this disaster.

Hot tears rolled down Kim's face as she choked out a sob.

"We're too late."

_**TBC...**_


	14. A Brain Switch Sitch

_Well, I couldn't leave you all hanging for too long after last episode's wrongsick cliffie now, could I? So, what is the true fate of Warmonga and our favorite teal-eyed cheerleader? Well, press on, gentle readers, as the evil cabal's newly hatched plot begins to unravel and morph into new forms, both literally and figuratively, with our heroes hot on their trail. Or are the evildoers hot on our heroe's trail? _

_My thanks as always to Eddy13, Bookworm Gal, levi2000a1, CajunBear73, Sentinel103, AlphaSeymour, Reader101w and Tito-Mosquito for your reviews, and especially in your restraint in not hitting me with any serious flames for my evil cliffhanger. Thanks as well to all of you who are continuing to read, and remember that if you leave a review, you'll get a reply. And a special shout-out to Reader101w for posting the 1000th review of all my stories. Too bad I couldn't send you a T-shirt as a reward. :)_

_So without further ado..._

* * *

Debris from the terrific explosion had begun raining down on the now hysterical crowd as they all made a mad rush for the exit gates. But after rescuing her friends and family, all Kim could do was stare in shock at the vaporized platform, where just moments earlier Warmonga had stood singing Kim's praises. Now she was gone. And with her, Bonnie Rockwaller. And Kim hadn't been able to stop it.

Thankful to have found her still in one piece, Ron breathlessly asked, "Kim! Are you all right?"

He gave her a hug, as much out of his own relief as for her comfort.

Kim held him closely for a long moment, still dazed by the hideous event. "I'm okay, but Warmonga's gone. And… and so is Bonnie…"

Ron's mouth hung open in shock. "No! Not Bon-Bon..."

Bitter tears continued to stream down her face. "And I wasn't able to prevent it..."

The girl who had thought she could anything bit her lip in sad frustration as they both continued to stare into the dark pit, while Ron struggled to find the words to comfort her.

"None of us were, KP. So it wasn't your fault, and it wasn't for a lack of trying. And we've got a lead now, even if it's too late for, for..."

Ron began to choke up, but continued to press on. "I just came from the High Command HQ, where Shego just sprung me and Camille from after being hauled in and questioned by some dude named WarRaptor. I couldn't read his thoughts, which means they've found a way to jam my mind-reading ability, and that really worries me. But Shego and I agree that he's probably involved, if not the actual brains behind all this wrongsickness."

But the cries of a million panicked spectators continued to clamor for their attention, as the huge crowd continued to stream for the exits. Turning away from the disaster, Kim set her jaw in determination, hoping to prevent yet another calamity.

"Then we'll deal with him soon enough, but first we've got to calm everyone down and help them out of here before we have a stampede."

Ron nodded wordlessly in response, already glowing bright blue with his own activated power. Each sensing the other's idea, Ron used his mystical energy to clear a path to each of the exits, while Kim multiplied herself fifty-fold, calming the frightened crowd and directing them all to safety.

Suddenly, all the power went off as Lorwardian Security hit the stadium's Emergency Off Switch, per their standing orders in such circumstances, and the stadium was plunged into the twilight of early evening. But lit both by Ron's blue mystical glow and the bright red of Kim's multiple personas, the crowd could still clearly make their way to the exits as Kim continued to plead with the terrified crowd.

"This way, everyone! Please don't panic, everything will be all right! Just keep moving calmly toward the exits!"

As soon as the power went off, Ron suddenly discovered that his mental raster had disappeared, and he instantly tried to project a subconscious wave of calm throughout the stadium. The crowd responded positively, everyone slowing down and unhurriedly leaving the stadium. Lorwardian security guards on bullhorns began to announce, "Everyone is to return to their own quarters or lodgings immediately, where you will await official instructions from the Lorwardian authorities!"

Soon the stadium was nearly empty. In the unearthly quiet that followed, Kim and Ron walked back and stared into the huge crater. Both of the teens were still in shock, but the realization that both Warmonga and Bonnie had met their demise finally began to sink in.

"I... I can't believe they're both gone, Ron. In just a split second, both gone..."

Ron simply stood there silently, his anger at the attack now beginning to simmer deep within his mind.

Suddenly, Kim had a flicker of hope. "Ron, if the bad guys used the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer to do this, maybe they're both still alive, but just in some other dimension?"

"Either that, or maybe some badical TV show. We can only hope."

He quickly realized however that they were both grasping after straws. "But I really don't think this was caused by the PDVI, Kim. We've been zapped by that thing before, and we were right next to Bueno Nacho when it got sucked into that dimensional vortex just last month. This bon-diggity explosion looked a whole lot different."

Then he realized something else which didn't quite seem to add up. "And come to think of it, it seems kinda strange that an explosion powerful enough to take out a Lorwardian and blow a huge hole in the ground only caused a few scratches to the people right next to it."

"You're right, Ron. And that definitely sets off my weirdar. Too bad I couldn't just call up Wade and have him do his typically ferocious analysis. He'd be able to confirm what caused it real quick."

"Yeah, he would. And then when he confirmed it, you could say, 'You rock, Wade!' and everything would suddenly be all right again. And Warmonga would reappear, and Bonnie... Bonnie..."

He stopped in mid-sentence as a tear rolled down his cheek. A wave of grief swept over him at the memory of the teal-eyed cheerleader.

"Kim, I... I know we didn't always get along with her, and that she was kinda evil, but only in a high-school sorta way, but she... she didn't deserve to go the way she did."

Kim gently squeezed her husband's hand. "Yeah, Ron. You're absolutely right. At least she died doing what she loved: cheerleading. And in front of an audience of billions on a hundred planets, no less."

They stood together in silence for a few moments. But something still didn't seem right, and Ron desperately tried to reason out what had happened. "But even if it wasn't the PDVI, they still could have detonated a device that could have taken out the whole stadium, or even the whole city, and us right along with it. So why didn't they?"

"I don't know, Ron. Maybe that's what they intended to do, and something miraculously went wrong. I was just a few feet from the blast zone and still survived, and you were late arriving. And Shego had planned on being here too. As bad as it was, it could have been a whole lot worse. Just like the saying goes about the best laid plans of mice and men."

"Or Lorwardians. So, I guess we were just in the wrong place at the right time. Or the right place, but a wrongsick time. Or a different place, and at a time..."

Kim gently placed a finger on her husband's lips and gave him a wan smile. "I got it, Ron."

He let out a small sigh and asked, "So, Kim. What now?"

She firmly replied, "The first thing we have to do is warn Drakken and Shego, since we don't know what's happened to them in the meantime. But now that the conspirators have made their move, it's up to us to find them now, and bring them all to justice."

Ron squeezed Kim's hand tighter as another wave of emotion washed over his soul. This wave was different, however. For this time it was anger. Intense anger. Anger at a senseless crime that had taken the lives of two erstwhile enemies who had eventually become friends. And he promised that he would find the criminals, and make them pay. Dearly.

And as his anger increased, so did the stirrings of his Mystical Monkey Power.

Just then, a contingent of the Lorwardian Home Guard appeared, each of their steps thundering on the ground as they approached. Their swarthy leader was particularly fierce looking, and fearlessly marched up to the young pair.

"Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable? You are under arrest for the murder for our leader, the Empress Warmonga. You will both come with us immediately for interrogation."

Kim looked aghast back at the guards. "What?! We didn't kill her! In fact, we've been trying to uncover a conspiracy against her for over a month now!"

The Lorwardian commander nervously began looking them over upon hearing this news, and especially at Ron, as the Mystical Monkey Master's blue glow continued to rise in intensity. For this commander was one of the survivors from the year before, when Ron, along with Kim, Shego, Drakken and Yori, had completely crushed an attack by 500 warriors of the hitherto undefeated Lorwardian Guard. He knew all too well that if Kim and Ron didn't come along willingly, his men would be powerless to stop them. And that the same fate that had befallen Warhok might now befall them all.

Ron began to rise off the ground, pieces of debris swirling about his feet in a steadily increasing whirlwind. He gave the commander a deadly look as his dark voice began echoing throughout the stadium.

"Yeah? You and whose army?"

Now growing increasingly worried about where this was leading, she suggested, "Uh, Ron? You can amp down anytime now, please and thank you?"

The troops instantly raised their weapons at the pair. Kim's face paled in horror at what she knew would happen next if she wasn't able to quickly defuse this sitch. A vision popped into her mind of the entire platoon of Lorwardians being flung clear out of the stadium by her enraged husband. Hopefully he hadn't been mentally eavesdropping on her, believing that her fleeting thought was a tacit approval for a deadly attack.

She grabbed his arm to try and stop him. "Ron, no! Please don't lose control, not now! There will be another time, I promise!"

But a look of murderous rage was now on Ron's face. He was in full protection mode, now that a threat had been issued against both him and his one true love. After the loss of Bonnie and Warmonga, he would not allow anything to happen to his wife, no matter what. If any of the guards now facing them should make the slightest false move, it would be the last move they'd ever make, followed by the annihilation of every last Lorwardian present.

Kim silently prayed for a miracle. Suddenly, the perfect idea came to mind. Doing her level best to imitate a tiny green 800-year-old Jedi Master, she squeaked out, "_Control! Control! You must learn control!_"

A tiny grin appeared on Ron's face. It widened into a broad smile, finally erupting into a small chuckle. His intense blue glow began to diminish, and with it, his anger.

As he lightly landed on his feet, Ron whispered, "Thanks, KP. You really do know how to calm me down when you need to."

The look of fear that had been etched on the face of every guard present soon dissolved into one of relief. The commander swallowed hard and mumbled, "Let's just say we'd, uh, like to ask you both a few questions about what just happened. Would you please come with us and help straighten this whole mess out?"

Ron sent a quick thought to Kim. "_KP, maybe we should cooperate for the moment, at least until we can contact Shego __and Drakken. Like I said, she and I suspect that the head of the Lorwardian Guard is behind all of this. He's only a step below Drakken in rank and would be in a perfect position to carry out a coup._"

Kim thought back to him, "_Yeah, but if he knows anything about us at all, he knows we could wipe the floor with him and anyone else that got in our way, Lorwardian or not. Maybe he was even trying to egg us into fighting back just now, which just would have made us look like the guilty ones. And that would have played right into his hands._"

"_Ooh, good point, KP. Well, I guess we'll be finding out real quick_."

* * *

As they were led away, another confrontation began to play out directly below them. The well-tanned cheerleader from Earth groaned painfully as she lay on the hard concrete floor. After the dais collapsed, Bonnie had just missed getting crushed in the rubble. Quickly slipping to the bottom of the newly blasted pit, she had fallen through a small opening and continued to plummet downward through what seemed to be a chute of some kind. Landing hard on the solid surface, she looked up just as the opening closed above her.

She awkwardly got up and brushed herself off. "What the heck just happened?"

She looked around and noticed a large machine in the dim light. Within one of the machine's two receptacles lay Warmonga, tightly strapped in and unconscious. In front of the machine, the two Lorwardians working its controls suddenly looked up at her in surprise just as she recognized their captive.

"Hey! That's that Empress bimbo who abducted Ron and that blue-skinned guy and then tried to conquer Earth! But Kim and Shego whipped her sorry butt, and then she became all goody-goody and BF-effy with them, didn't she? Wow, what a _total _loser. But that means she's one of the good guys now, which means that you two..."

WarRaptor graced Bonnie with his most evil smile as the truth finally dawned on her.

"...are the _real _bad guys!"

WarRaptor's laugh chilled Bonnie to the bone. "As I was just telling Battlefox here, it seems that _all _Terrans talk way too much."

With arms akimbo, Bonnie snarked back, "Oh yeah? Well, just wait until I tell Kim Possible! Then you can win the gold medal for Loser of the Year!"

He instantly pulled a rather nasty looking sidearm and pointed it right at Bonnie. "I think not, _human_. I don't think you'll be living long enough to tell _anyone_ what you've seen here. And when they find your body, they'll just assume you perished in the explosion."

Bonnie quickly lost her brash demeanor as she stared down the barrel of WarRaptor's blaster.

"I rather enjoy intimidating my enemies, if you hadn't noticed. It's probably just a Lorwardian thing, but a good taunt always makes my day. Even better, I'll derive great pleasure from blasting you into your component atoms."

With a sudden twinkle in his eye he continued, "But first, let me reveal to you my diabolical plan for world domination."

With a long-suffering roll of her eyes, Bonnie moaned, "Oh great, another monologuer. I guess all villains are the same no matter _what _planet they're from."

Ignoring her snippy comment, he gleefully began. "You've probably realized that the explosion was merely for show. More flash than crash, shall we say? But more than enough to convince the planet that our Empress has apparently perished, rather than being merely abducted, which gives me the authority to declare martial law."

Bonnie blurted out, "You mean she's _dead?_"

"Oh, no. Not yet at least. A powerful dose of knockout gas was all it took to incapacitate her after the explosion. I had planned to trap Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable as well by timing the explosion during the closing ceremonies, but after his nosy Parfan friend cleverly tried to impersonate one of my operatives, I thought it wise to accelerate my plans before they could put all the pieces together and try to foil my plan."

He continued with a wicked chuckle, "It's too bad that you were _also_ caught in my little explosion, or else we wouldn't be sharing this delightful conversation."

Bonnie crossed her arms and sneered, "Yeah, really delightful, you big freako!"

He waved one finger in warning at the petite cheerleader. "Now, now! That's no way to address the soon to be Emperor of Lorwardia. But why the elaborate ruse, you ask?"

He motioned toward the device behind them with a grand sweep of his arm. "You'll notice that I have Warmonga tightly secured in this brain-switch machine, ironically from your very own planet. It will enable me to switch bodies with her, after which I, as Warmonga, will miraculously reappear to the public and blame the Great Red, the Great Green, the Great Blue, and the Great... well, whatever that Stoppable character goes by now, for crimes against both her and Lorwardia. She will then declare _me _as the new Emperor, after which she will apparently succumb to her injuries."

Bonnie was horrified. "But what are you going to do to Kim and Ron? You're not going to..."

He interrupted her with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I really don't expect that any of them will go quietly, but I have special plans to take care of each of them, _permanently_. And when they're all finally out of the way, I will declare that their actions have abrogated the peace treaty. Lorwardia will then be able to return to its old ways, take its revenge on Earth, and begin a crusade to retake the planetary conquests which we were so unjustly deprived of. Of course, neither you nor any other Terran will be around to witness my final victory, but I assure you, it will be spectacular. Any questions?"

She growled back, "Yeah, just one. Are there any psycho wards on Lorwardia? Because you're a prime candidate for an all-expenses-paid trip to one!"

WarRaptor pointed his deadly blaster directly at the cheerleader. "How droll. So farewell, _human_. You will not be missed."

As she stared at the deadly weapon, Bonnie had always thought that her life would flash before her eyes right before she died. But as it didn't, she figured that she wasn't about to go to that 'big cheer competition in the sky,' as Ron had humorously quipped once after yet another one of Kim's narrow escapes.

She snarled back, "Think again, _loser._"

Just as WarRaptor fired, she quickly performed a cartwheel followed by a perfectly executed backflip, landing directly behind the Lorwardian.

"Two! Four! Six! Eight! Evil guys I _really hate!_"

As WarRaptor turned around, she knocked the weapon from WarRaptor's hand with a high kick that would have made Kim proud. She answered his surprised look with a typically snarky reply.

"Just don't tell Kim Possible that I learned that move from her. She'd never let me live it down."

But Bonnie quickly discovered that a slender 100 pound cheerleader doesn't really stand a chance against a 500 pound eight-foot tall Lorwardian, armed or not. With a roar of anger, WarRaptor cuffed Bonnie with a powerful backhand blow, sending her sprawling. But he didn't realize until it was too late in which direction he had just flung her. She slammed into the empty receptacle of the brain-switch machine, which automatically activated.

"No!" WarRaptor yelled. "Battlefox, shut it off! Quickly!"

Battlefox stood transfixed as the transfer process continued, the ghostly images of Warmonga and Bonnie appearing, passing through the other, and reentering the other's body.

"Too late..."

WarRaptor sputtered, "Reverse the process! Hurry, before they regain consciousness!"

Suddenly, the machine's power levels dropped to zero as they were all plunged into near total darkness.

"What? What's happening?!"

Battlefox hissed back, "Have you forgotten standard protocol, WarRaptor? No doubt the stadium's chief of security has flipped the Emergency Off Switch due to the explosion. We are powerless."

"Indeed you are, WarRaptor."

A chill went up his spine as Warmonga's voice was clearly heard echoing from the dim shadows.

"And you will soon feel Warmonga's unbridled wrath, traitors!"

But from out of the shadows, it was not Warmonga who appeared, but the form of Bonnie Rockwaller.

WarRaptor guffawed, "Indeed I shall, Your Highness!

Warmonga looked down at her new body in horror. "Frackle! What kind of sorcery is this? _What have you done to me?!_"

The Lorwardian chuckled, "Well, Warmonga, this is certainly not what I had planned, but as the humans say, if you're given lemons, make some lemonade."

Warmonga looked confused on hearing the obtuse comment. "Why would I wish for a sour fruit drink at present? I wish only to throttle you within an inch of your miserable, traitorous life!"

And with that invective she began to pound uselessly against the stomach of the Lorwardian who now towered over her.

"Hah! No doubt you will mercilessly kick my shins until I yield to your overwhelming strength, Your Majesty."

Both WarRaptor and Battlefox continued to laugh until another voice spoke from behind them.

"No, but how about this instead?"

The voice of Bonnie Rockwaller emanated from Warmonga's body as she grabbed the two and slammed their heads together as hard as possible, knocking them both unconscious.

Bonnie turned to address the Lorwardian ruler who now inhabited her body. "Wow, this is really freaky. So, you must be Warmonga, the queen of this planet?"

"Empress, technically. And who are you?"

"Bonnie Rockwaller. I've been leading Earth's cheer squad, but that's going to be a little tough now that I'm, what, eight feet tall?"

Warmonga looked down at her now diminutive form. "Yes, it looks like we've somehow switched bodies, as part of some kind of bizarre plot to usurp power."

"Yeah. WarRaffle or whatever his name is couldn't help but spill his guts about what he had planned."

"Indeed. He has always had the bad habit of monologuing, like any common villain. Long has Warmonga warned him about the foolishness of prematurely revealing one's plans to an apparently defeated foe."

"That's for sure. He actually wanted to switch bodies with _you_ so he could impersonate you and take over the planet somehow."

Bonnie looked over the brain-switch machine. "Well, let's find out how this thingy works so we can get our own bodies back."

"That will be difficult at the moment. No doubt our security flipped the stadium's Emergency Off Switch when the explosion occurred. First we will have to restore the power, then we shall be able to regain our rightful forms."

"Okay, but let's tie these two up first."

With her superior Lorwardian strength, Bonnie easily ripped out some of the power cabling and securely bound the two traitors.

The Empress frowned at Bonnie's haste. "Warmonga trusts that you will be able to correctly reconnect those power cables once power is restored?"

"Oopsies. Uh, yeah, I hope so too."

Warmonga sighed, "Hopefully one of my wartechs will be able to reconnect it properly. But first, accompany me to the stadium's power generators. My present human strength will be inadequate to reset the necessary power couplings without your help, and you will need my help in locating the room."

"Well, let's go then. The sooner we start the sooner we'll both be back to normal. Lead the way, Queenie."

But WarRaptor had designed this lair with security in mind. After a few turns, both Warmonga and Bonnie quickly became lost in the maze of corridors.

"Ooh. This may take longer than Warmonga anticipated."

Bonnie gave an exasperated sigh. "Understatement much?"

* * *

Meanwhile, on the nearly deserted streets above, Shego recklessly sped back toward the Imperial headquarters that she'd left only a half hour before. She was thankful that there were only a few pedestrians to get in her way, as everyone who could possibly get a ticket was at the stadium for the final match between Earth and Lorwardia, and those who couldn't were watching the televised event in one of Lorwardia Prime's countless sports bars. But now, all eyes, eyestalks or whatever passed for an ocular organ depending on the alien were glued to their flat-panel screens as news of the explosion began to be broadcast.

She roared through several intersections, ignoring the purple lights which indicated that she should stop, automatic cameras snapping a photo of her vehicle. She frowned, realizing that several tickets would no doubt be quickly sent to her by the local traffic authorities, demanding immediate payment lest her car be disintegrated in retribution.

She grumbled, "Well, I guess I can claim diplomatic immunity. Besides, I don't think they're going to be paying much attention to my traffic tickets once WarRaptor finds out I'm on to him."

Every few minutes she tried again to reach Dr. Drakken on her wristcomm. But her frustration only continued to mount, as all communication frequencies except a few secure military channels and those used by newsvids had been jammed according to WarRaptor's plan.

"I just hope that Drew's okay. If they catch him off guard, he could be in serious trouble. And as much as I love the lug, he's not the brightest bulb on the planet."

As Shego roared toward her destination, her thoughts wandered back to events over the past year, and how happy she'd been with Drew, perhaps for the first time in her entire life. Memories came flooding back of working closely with him, and of the personal and financial success they both now enjoyed, especially now that they were both finally on the right side of the law. Not only that, but they had been an important part of the solution to what had resulted in virtual galactic peace after centuries of war and Lorwardian tyranny.

And then there was the surprise of learning that Kim Possible was actually her cousin. This of course was quite a shock to both her and Kim, as they had been sworn enemies up until that time. And it was just as shocking to friends, family and mutual cohorts, no matter where they lay on the good and evil spectrum. She chuckled as she recalled the moment when Professor Dementor had found this out. She had deeply enjoyed the apoplectic fit he had thrown, followed by an unintelligible torrent of German invectives that she was positive would have turned even _her_ jaded ears red with embarrassment.

"Yeah, I wish I could have got a video of _that_. I'm sure it would have gone viral in just minutes on MeTube..."

But her fondest memories were of spending time with Drew as her husband. A sense of completeness, fulfillment and peace washed over her, feelings she had not had since she had been a child, not since before she and her brothers had been hit by that blasted comet that had imbued them all with their incredible powers. Powers, in retrospect, which they all had great trouble dealing with emotionally. And which had led to her eventually leaving her superhero family, and to her final descent into villainy and evil. But some good had thankfully come of it. She had met Dr. Drakken, and began working for him.

She heaved a heavy sigh. "Yeah, love at first sight might be nice for some, but it certainly wasn't in the cards for us."

She began to ruminate over those early years. It was merely a business relationship for a long time, mad scientist and henchwoman, pure and simple, which was just fine by her. But she began to suspect that she had some deeply buried feelings for her boss once she was hit by that damned Moodulator. Her emotions had been so messed around with by that device that she went even deeper into her protective emotional shell. But she knew deep down that no matter what romantic feelings that technological terror had conjured up in her, they were all focused on Drew.

Things remained fairly smooth for a while longer. Well, as smooth as could be expected with Team Possible foiling every single plot of his to take over the world. But after Warmonga and Warhok abducted both Kim and Dr. Drakken, the two villains_ both_ began to suspect that they might have some feelings for each other. But she continued to bury those feelings beneath her snarky disposition for months, until she was absolutely sure. She wasn't about to let any foolish sentimentality get in the way of her awesome reputation.

"Or my foolish pride. And then when I finally made up my mind, Warmonga returned to lead an even bigger invasion of Earth, and abducted both Dr. D _and _Ron. That _bitch_."

But her mood softened as she remembered when she first saw Drew again, dressed in his ragged tuxedo, having traveled halfway across the galaxy to rescue him. And that first kiss...

She let out a long, pleasant sigh at that memory, followed by his spontaneous proposal of marriage, and then the memory of the first time they made love...

She was jerked back to reality by the sudden realization that now he might once again be a prisoner of the Lorwardians, or even worse.

She growled, "Over my dead body. If they've hurt one flower petal on that budding neck of his, I'll take them down right along with their whole frickin' planet, even if it costs me my own life. I almost lost him once, and there's no way I'm _ever_ letting that happen again."

But just as she was driving past the new Imperial Palace, explosions began violently erupting from the building. A large chunk of debris slammed into the side of her groundcar, sending it careening out of control and colliding with one of Lorwardia Prime's ubiquitous monitor towers, knocking her out.

When she finally regained consciousness, twilight had given way to the dark Lorwardian night. With a groan, she pulled herself from the wreckage. But she was thankful to discover that other than a few bruises and a large bump on her head, she was uninjured.

"Man, that smarts. I wonder how long I've been out?"

As she looked up, her question was answered as a newsvid began to play on one of Lorwardia Prime's many outdoor public screens. She watched in horror as a Lorwardian broadcaster began reporting on the disaster which had just happened at the stadium.

"This is Tricia Warpowski with this emergency news bulletin. An explosion has occurred at the Warhafter Memorial Stadium, where the final soccer match between Earth and Lorwardia was to have been held only moments from now. Reports are sketchy, but it appears that Empress Warmonga was the target and is currently missing. Explosions have also been reported at the Imperial Palace, and the Lorwardian Guard has been mobilized to escort the members of the High Council to safety. Everyone is instructed to stay calm and return to the safety of their homes or lodgings and await further details as soon as they become available."

A look of defeat began to appear on Shego's face. "Damn. It sounds like a coup d'état, and now we're too late to stop it."

She checked out her car, but it was too badly damaged to drive. "Well, I guess I'll have to make my way on foot. Hold on, Drew, I'm coming."

Suddenly, her wristcomm buzzed. She was incredibly relieved to see Dr. Drakken's smiling face on the other end.

"Drew! Are you okay? I've been trying to reach you for over an hour!"

"Yes, I'm fine, WarShego."

She raised a curious eyebrow at the name, as he continued. "I'm here in my office at the command center, and things are a bit crazy at the moment. There's been an explosion at the stadium, and the Empress is missing. There's been an explosion at the Imperial Palace as well, so I've declared martial law. Battlefox has taken charge of the local troops, and Wolfenstrike is here with me now."

"Drew, just be careful. I think WarRaptor is behind all this."

He gave her a strange expression that she'd never seen before, then awkwardly replied, "Really? Uh, I don't think so, WarShego. We've finally captured that Parfan shapeshifter we've been looking for, and I believe that _he's_ actually the one behind all of this. We'd like you to, er, _assist _in the interrogation, if you know what I mean. Your plasma, or the threat of it, will no doubt intimidate the Parfan into quickly confessing his role in the plot and revealing all of his co-conspirators. Please meet me here as soon as possible, so we can get to the bottom of this."

She replied guardedly, "Sure, Dr. D, anything you say. I'll be right there."

As Shego hung up, she thought to herself, "_That was weird. He called me WarShego. He's never called me that before. And he was able to get right through to me, after me not being able to reach him or anyone else for over an hour._"

Just then, a dazed crowd of aliens and Lorwardians began streaming by, apparently the spectators who had escaped from the stadium and who were now returning to their various hotels and living quarters. A young female Lorwardian breathlessly ran up to her.

"Shego! It's me, Camille!"

Shego eyed her carefully. "Camille? Well, it looks like you've definitely taken your shapeshifting skills to a new level. What's with the disguise?"

The blonde nodded and quickly replied, "There's been an explosion at the stadium, and it looks like Warmonga was the target. It got Bonnie, too."

Shego frowned back, "Yeah, I just saw the newsvid. But Kim's cheerleading friend got caught in the blast too? Oh, man, she's not gonna like that one bit. But is Kim okay? And what about Ron?"

Camille looked worried. "They're both fine, but they've been taken into custody. It looks like they've both been charged with taking part in the plot."

Shego exploded, "What!? But they had nothing to do with it! In fact, we've all been trying to prevent _exactly _something like this from happening in the first place!"

"I know. That's why I assumed this disguise, so I could do some snooping and find out what's really going on."

She gave Shego a saucy wink. "And a yummy guard was more than happy to oblige me."

Shego cocked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

With a provocative sashay of her hips, Camille continued, "Yeah, he spilled his guts once I promised I'd meet him tonight after he gets off duty for a little nookie-nookie, or whatever they call it on this planet."

Shego grinned back, "Why, you little slut. Nice job! So spill already."

"Well, you and Drakken have been accused of masterminding the plot, and Kim and Ron have been charged with setting off that bomb. Drakken's already been arrested and he's being held in the high security section of the High Command HQ."

Shego gave her a surprised look. "But I just spoke with him not one minute ago. He told me they've captured Grallx and needs my help in interrogating him."

Camille shook her head. "Guess again. I'll bet Grallx morphed himself into Drakken to set a trap for you."

Shego slammed one gloved fist into the other. "Damn! I _thought _Dr. D sounded a little weird. Well, weirder than usual, I guess. And that would explain why he called me WarShego. He's never called me that before, but after Warmonga gave me that new name, she required that everyone in the Lorwardian Guard address me like that. Which means..."

She angrily growled, "Which means they really _do_ have him. They must figure that once they've got us all in custody they'll pin the evil deed on us, then have us all summarily executed and take over the planet, huh?"

Camille sadly nodded.

"Well, they've got another thing coming. I've got to rescue him, but I can't just waltz into a high security area and say to the conspirators, 'Hi! I'm WarShego, and I'd like my husband back please, if you don't mind.' "

"So what's your plan?"

Shego shot her a devilish grin. "Devious as usual, and I'll need your help. I need you to provide a little diversion to throw the bad guys off my trail. Nothing too dangerous, as long as you can run fast and morph yourself while doing it."

Camille smiled back, "No problem. So what did you have in mind?"

* * *

A few minutes later, Shego appeared a block away from the headquarters of the Lorwardian High Command. She had used her many years of training in stealth to good advantage, sprinting between hiding place to hiding place, making excellent use of whatever cover was available. She also knew where all the remote security cameras were located, and took special care to avoid them.

"Yeah, I'm surprised I never took the time to became a full-fledged Ninja, but I never felt like doing all the work necessary for that. Only just enough to get by."

She let out a small chuckle. "Well, that's _one_ thing me and the Ronster have in common at least, besides being former sidekicks. And when WarRaptor spots the me that's _not _me, that'll make my job even easier."

Several blocks away, a lithe, green-skinned woman with long, raven-colored hair strolled down the street. Masquerading as Shego, Camille slowly approached the west entrance to the High Command HQ. Taking her time, and in view of the many security cameras, she noticed several guards taking up positions to cut her off should she make a run for it. Which was exactly what she planned to do, as long as her timing was perfect. As she walked up to the gate, two surly guards raised their weapons.

"Halt, WarShego! You're under arrest for the assassination of Empress Warmonga! Come along quietly or else we'll be forced to shoot!"

Camille immediately spun around on her heels and darted around the corner, instantly morphing into her earlier disguise as a sultry Lorwardian teenager. Just as the two guards barreled around the corner, she wildly pointed down the street and yelled, "There she goes! If you hurry, you can still catch her!"

The two guards quickly grunted their thanks and took off down the street with guns blazing. Soon every guard in the immediate vicinity had been alerted and began chasing after phantom Shegos, firing at anything that moved, even each other. As more and more guards were dispatched to join in the chase, the whole pursuit degenerated into a wild firefight, no one knowing exactly from which direction their quarry was firing from.

If any of them had been at the little-used east entrance, they would have spotted the real Shego expertly taking out the security cameras with well-place plasma bolts. After melting the lock and handle into a puddle of slag, she entered the door unobserved. Once inside, she let out her breath in relief.

"Okay, I'm in. Now, how to get to Drew without being spotted?"

She looked up and saw an air conditioning duct, and smiled.

"Hmm, maybe I'll take a page out of Kim's book of surprise stealth tactics. It always worked for _her_ when trying to surprise me and Drakken in one of our lairs..."

With a quick burst of plasma, she melted the bolts on the duct cover and quickly crawled in. Too small for a Lorwardian, it was just large enough for her to squeeze through. Recalling the layout of the HQ, she carefully made her way through the passageway. A few minutes later, she looked through a vent and smiled when she finally spotted Dr. Drakken. Bound and gagged, he gently floated over the floor of his cell locked in standard Lorwardian electronic shackles. She was thankful that although he looked a little worse for wear, Drew was still very much alive. But neither of them would be staying that way for much longer if she didn't hurry. She quickly opened the vent and silently dropped to the floor.

She hissed, "Drew, it's me! C'mon, I've got to get you out of here before..."

His eyes widened in fright as he frantically tried to mumble out a warning, but it was too late. From immediately behind her, a slow clapping began.

"Very good, WarShego! I applaud your inimitable stealth. But you're a day late and a dollar short, as they say on your world. So unless you'd like me to disintegrate your illustrious Great Blue right before your eyes, you'll surrender yourself immediately."

She slowly turned to face the person who had just spoken, angry at herself for letting herself be so easily caught unawares. Behind her taunter stood ten more Lorwardian guards, weapons at the ready and pointed straight at her and Drakken. She growled back between clenched teeth, as she prepared to face down the leader of the conspiracy.

"_WarRaptor_..."

_**TBC...**_


	15. The Game Is Afoot

_Welcome to the my long-overdue update, as both heroes and villains try to gain the upper hand. And thanks as always to Eddy13, LTA, Bookworm Gal, Linzerj, AlphaSeymour, Katsumara, levi2000a1, Jimmy1201, CajunBear73, Tito-Mosquito, Sentinel103 and Reader101w for your kind reviews. And I hope to catch up on a few of your stories this weekend as well. Enjoy!_

* * *

Warmonga and Bonnie had been wandering around the labyrinth below the stadium for well over an hour, desperately seeking a way out of the confusing maze, when suddenly they saw a light ahead.

Bonnie excitedly exclaimed, "Hey, I think I see something! Maybe it's the exit!"

But as soon as they entered the dimly illuminated space, her face drooped in frustration. Before them once again stood the brain-switch machine, illuminated only by sparse emergency lighting.

"Oh, great! We're right back where we started!"

Warmonga also noticed something rather disturbing.

"And the traitors have apparently escaped. Not only that, but they have also taken the power cables to this infernal machine with them."

Bonnie griped, "Ooh! That just makes me want to smash something!"

In frustration, Bonnie let loose with a powerful kick to the nearest wall. She easily put a large hole in it, nearly large enough for Warmonga in her new human form to walk through.

"Hey! I think we've been going about this the wrong way. If I can smash through these walls this easily, all we need to do is decide on which direction to go, cuz there's got to be some way out of this stupid maze."

Warmonga queried, "Yes, but which way?"

Bonnie thought for a moment, then came up with an idea. "Well, I don't know how Lorwardians think, but if they make mazes like the ones I used to solve in puzzle books when I was a kid, then the exit would be in the bottom right hand corner of the page. Which would mean… it's _this_ way."

And with that decision, Bonnie smashed through wall after wall until she reached a far corner of the labyrinth, and what looked like a door. Wrenching it open, a staircase met their eyes. And from the opening, cool, fresh air graced their nostrils wafting from the passageway.

"Very good, Bonnie Rockwaller! Warmonga believes that you have found a way out."

Bonnie smiled with relief. "Yeah, super. But wait here, I'll be right back."

Retracing her path, her thundering steps echoed into the distance. She returned a minute later with the brain-switch machine. Although too large for a single human to move, it was child's play for Bonnie to carry in her new Lorwardian form.

"They may have the power cables, but _we_ have the machine now. And Kim's dad is a super-duper rocket scientist brain-face, so if he can't connect this up somehow, nobody can."

Warmonga smiled in approval as they proceeded up the steps into the cool night air, and to freedom.

* * *

Meanwhile, the tense standoff between Shego and WarRaptor continued.

Shego slowly turned around to face her taunter and his cronies. But as she did, she noticed a trace of a smile on Drakken's face, and an imperceptible wink of one eye.

Shego quickly thought to herself, "_Man, I sure wish I had the Ronster's mindreading skills right about now…_"

She began with a typical snark. "Well, WarRaptor. Trying to move up in the world by sinking about as low as you can get, huh?"

He coolly replied, "You could say that. But no lower than Warmonga has sunk in betraying Lorwardia and everything we've stood for countless generations."

"Whoa. _Has _sunk? Sounds like present tense, you big moron. We call that a Freudian slip where I come from."

WarRaptor gave her a particularly consternated look as he began to turn red with anger. "You sound just like that insufferable cheerleader, _your Highness_."

"Oh? And which cheerleader would that be? Kim Possible, or Bonnie Rockwaller?"

WarRaptor's jaw fell wide open as his look of surprise betrayed Shego's suspicions.

Shego snickered, "Yeah, I thought so. Over the past year I've learned that Lorwardians aren't very good at keeping a straight face when either lying or trying to keep a secret. As a race, you'd just prefer to bluster and fume. So, neither Warmonga nor Bonnie are really dead, are they?"

WarRaptor petulantly sputtered, "They _so _are! And… and you and the Great Blue are totally behind it!"

Having gained the upper hand in this convo, she pushed her advantage, quickly addressing the guards.

"Uh, you soldiers _do _know that as your Princess Regent, I outrank anyone on the planet except the Empress, who's not actually dead by the way. And WarRaptor here is the one behind this charade, and is up to his squinty little eyeballs in some kind of plot to take over your dustball of a planet. Join me now, and when this is all over, I'll absolve you of any involvement."

They looked back at her with blank expressions on their faces.

WarRaptor smirked, "You forget, WarShego, that _we _have the guns."

She tapped her chin in thought, then suggested. "Well, how about a cash reward instead?"

One by one, a few of them began to look mildly interested. But WarRaptor was quick to up the ante.

"Stay with me, men. Once we retake Lorwardia and regain the glory that we have lost, power and riches await you, if you will only stand firm."

But Shego was just as quick to reply, "Oh, yeah? How does a year's supply of Hank's Intergalactic Cupcakes sound?"

A trace of drool appeared at the corner of one guard's mouth.

WarRaptor looked nervous and quickly added, "Once we prevail, Lorwardia will _OWN_ Hank's Intergalactic Cupcakes!"

Shego grinned back, "Which won't be worth a Thorgoggle's behind without our secret ingredients from Earth, by the way."

The guards all looked seriously concerned at this news. But the fact that they were considering it at all made WarRaptor very worried, and a tone of desperation began to creep into his voice.

"A five percent increase in pay, and an extra week's vacation!"

They all looked back at Shego to see if she would raise the bet, or call.

"I'll see WarRaptor's offer, and add an all-you-can eat buffet at Bueno Nacho every Warhafterday."

This was met by a positive growl of approval from all the guards.

"A _ten_ percent increase in pay, and _two_ weeks paid vacation!"

Shego quickly added, "Oh, and by the way, that includes all the Glorf beer you can drink."

This was met by even more roars of approval.

WarRaptor blurted out, "And all your major medical paid for, a fully funded retirement package, plus your own ships to command! And that's my _final offer_!"

As the guards muttered among themselves about which offer to take, Shego's patience began to wear thin. "Yeah, but that's only if you all live long enough."

And with that threat, she fired up two fists of glowing green plasma with a powerful swoosh.

Caught off guard, the soldiers took a sudden step back in surprise as they each tried to quickly make up their minds about which leader to follow. And they hesitated just long enough.

Out of the corner of her mouth she hissed, "Whatever you've got planned, Dr. D, now would be a good time."

A sudden massive poof of bright yellow pollen erupted from the flowers around Drakken's neck. The cloud enveloped WarRaptor and all the guards present, causing them to break out in a terrific fit of sneezing and coughing.

Shego nodded in approval. "Hey! Nice one, Doc."

And with a quick focused blast, she disabled Drakken's bindings and tore off his gag.

"So let's get the heck out of here!"

As they raced off down the hall, Dr. Drakken uttered his quick thanks. "Your timing was magnificent, my angel. I was quite worried that they all had us both cold."

"Yeah, but why didn't your super-pollen give me a super-allergic reaction like with the guards?"

He answered with a pleasant smirk, "Human and Lorwardian physiology are quite different, my dear. Just one of the many things I've been studying over the past year in case something like this came up."

"What? You've actually learned to plan ahead? Why, Drew. I've never found you more attractive before in my entire life."

"Why, thank you, Shego. Let's just hope that our lives will continue just a little longer. WarRaptor is indeed trying to take over the planet. He and his guards got the drop on me, first arresting me for complicity in what's obviously his own plot. Then he hit me with some kind of herbicide spray which temporarily suppressed my mutagenic power and nearly knocked me out cold. But I recovered quicker than he expected, though not fully enough to subdue them with my vines."

"Good thing you did. Hand-to-hand combat was tough enough against just Warmonga. It would have been even tougher against a whole squad of Lorwardians armed with blasters."

"Yes, but you succeeded in keeping them distracted, just long enough for me to get the drop on them."

He gave her a sidelong glance. "And a nice ploy, by the way, tempting them with food: the Lorwardian's Achilles Heel. So, a year's supply of Hank's Intergalactic Cupcakes?"

He jokingly admonished her, "That would have come out of your share of the profits, young lady."

Suddenly alarm klaxons began sounding.

"Yeah, Doc, but I think we should get out of here, pronto."

Shego raced around the corner only to be met by fierce blaster fire from troops loyal to WarRaptor.

She returned fire and darted back around the corner. "Whoa! Can't get out that way. I think we better both leave the same way I came."

She instantly fried the bolts of the air conditioning vent next to them. "Quick, follow me."

She scrambled into the duct with Drakken right behind her. In a few minutes, they were back at the east entrance and swiftly slipped out the door to freedom.

Shego quickly brought him up to speed on the situation. "So somehow we've got to alert Lorwardia that this is WarRaptor's coup, not ours, then warn Kim, Ron and their friends, and also find Warmonga and Bonnie. But until we can rescue them, this technically leaves us both in charge of the planet."

Drakken frowned, "Yes, but only if we live long enough to reveal WarRaptor's plot. As soon as he bound me in those despicable bindings, he boasted that had taken over all communications systems and somehow locked me out of all my command codes."

"Yeah, but I doubt he knows about our comm system at home, which uses a different frequency and is a lot more powerful than even _he_ suspects. It's a good thing Kim's nerdlinger friend set that up for us, or we'd really be up the creek without a paddle."

"Indeed. So, home first and see who we can reach?"

"Sounds good to me."

"Oh, and by the way, thanks for rescuing me."

Shego grinned, "Yeah, so that's _two_ you owe me now, Drew."

Drakken smiled back, "Well, let's see if this will help a little."

With that, he swept her into a deep embrace and an even deeper kiss.

Shego swooned, enjoying the kiss as well as the relief that they were both safe for the moment. Perhaps a little too much though, as she broke the embrace and huskily whispered, "Now don't get me started, Drew. They'll be time enough for that later, and WarRaptor's goons are likely to be on our tails real quick. Right now let's just see if we can make it back home in one piece."

Drakken gave out a small sigh of resignation. "Spoilsport. Very well, so where's your groundcar?"

Shego winced. "Uh, wrecked in the explosion of the Imperial Palace when I was unlucky enough to be driving by. Man, where's that aircar when we really need it? So I guess we'll be making our way on foot, unless…"

She took a quick look around and spotted a promising vehicle. With a quick burst of plasma, she melted the door's lock. Twenty seconds later she had it hot-wired, and the groundcar's engine burst into life.

"Well, you certainly haven't lost your touch, Shego. Yet another reason why I've kept you around for so long. I daresay that I couldn't have done better myself."

She corrected him with a cheeky smirk. "Uh, don't you mean you couldn't have done that _at all _and would be totally lost without me?"

He shrugged at the minor snark and moaned, "Now, Shego. Permit me at least _some_ credit for my evil inclinations."

And with that, the two roared off into the night.

* * *

In the meantime, the Terran cheerleaders and their chaperones had returned to their hotel in a somber mood, deeply saddened at the apparent loss of Bonnie.

As soon as they sat down to rest inside their suite, Tara was the first to express her sadness, breaking down in a tearful whimper.

"Bonnie may have had her issues, but she didn't deserve to go like that."

Hope nodded in agreement, wiping a tear from her eye. "You're right, Tara. I guess we can _all_ be kind of bitchy at times, but getting blown up like that? Ron would say something like, that's so sick and wrong."

Jessica chimed in, "Yeah, even if she _did_ hijack Kim's spot as our squad leader back in high school, then turn right around two weeks later and say she couldn't handle leading us _and_ date Brick Flagg at the same time..."

Crystal added, "Uh-huh. And then totally snark on Kim and Ron when they showed up as an item at the Junior Prom..."

"Or the time she planted a big wet one on Ron just to get Kim's goat..." Liz snickered.

Not to be outdone, Marcella finished with, "And don't get me started on her _totally _fanatical desire to stay at the top of the food chain, no matter _who_ got in her way..."

But before anyone else could reminisce on something Bonnie had done to irritate someone, Mr. Barkin quickly switched on the televisor to get the latest news about the terrible event.

"All right, people, listen up!" He tuned in to a newsvid just as a local Lorwardian newscaster imperiously began with the latest report.

"This is Tricia Warpowski for Channel One News, bringing you this important update. WarRaptor of the Imperial Lorwardian Guard has declared martial law after an explosion at the Warhafter Memorial Stadium apparently took the life of our glorious Empress, and one of the Terran cheerleaders. No bodies have been recovered, but it has been assumed that they were vaporized in the blast. Explosions have also been reported at the newly rebuilt Imperial Palace. Fortunately there have been no reports of any further casualties, and the High Council has been safely sequestered in an undisclosed location by the Imperial Guard. A coup is suspected, and both the Princess Regent, WarShego, and her husband, the Great Blue, have been implicated in the attempted takeover."

Mr. Barkin gave a rather disgusted harrumph. "The High Council in _safe keeping_? More likely they're being held hostage. And pinning the deed on Drakken and Miss Go? This smells like a military coup to me, just like in Gorcha Granadia, twenty-five years ago..."

What immediately followed on the news was even more disturbing, as pictures of Kim and Ron were flashed onto the screen.

"Additionally, Earth's Ambassador to Earth, Kim Possible, and her husband Ron Scruptable, formerly in contention for the title of the Great Blue, have been accused of actually setting off the explosive devices. If you see any of these persons, do not approach them, but immediately notify your local Lorwardian Guard. Remember, they're here to serve and protect. We will continue to bring you further updates as they become available. And now back to our regularly scheduled program, _As The World Burns, _brought to you by Hank's Intergalactic Cupcakes."

Steve Barkin exclaimed with a huff, "Why, that's incredible!"

James answered, "What, that my Kimmie-cub and son-in-law have been accused of a heinous crime they didn't commit?"

Mr. Barkin shook his head. "No, that the Lorwardians actually have a _soap opera_ on TV. I know they like to imitate human culture, but this is just ridiculous. Not only that, but they _still_ can't get Stoppable's name right..."

James wasn't sure if he was more shocked by the news report or Barkin's callous answer. But he relaxed a bit as he realized that this was just Steve's way of dealing with his true feelings. He knew that deep down under that gruff exterior, Steve had grown to care very much for Kim, Ron, and even Bonnie.

Steve continued in a quieter tone, "But don't get me wrong, Possible. I'm sorry about what happened to Ms. Rockwaller, but her fate notwithstanding, our situation is hardly much better. If Stoppable and your daughter are on the Lorwardian's Most Wanted List for a crime they obviously didn't commit, where does that leave us?"

"That's a good point, Steve. So we had all best be on our guard for anything..."

There was a sudden pounding at the door. Tara gushed, "Ooh, I sure hope that's Kim and Ron."

As she rushed to the door, Barkin shouted out a warning. "Tara, wait! Don't open that…"

But it was too late. When she opened the door, she wasn't met by Kim and Ron's warm smiles, but by the stern frown of a Lorwardian officer accompanied by a squad of armed troops.

He barked out, "You humans will all follow me. You are now in the protective custody of the Lorwardian Empire."

Tara whined, "But we're waiting for Kim and Ron! We can't leave without…"

The officer instantly growled back, "You will all come with us immediately, _and with no argument_!"

The troops unholstered their weapons to underscore their commander's order.

James frowned, "I think they mean business, Steve."

"Yeah. That's what I'm afraid of."

James surreptitiously scribbled a note on a napkin and left it on the table before being marched out the door. He only had time to write one word: _Captured_.

"I just hope that Kim and Ron find my note. And I hope they're both okay…"

As the humans were marched away, the commander tapped his wristcom. "Warweasel to WarRaptor. Sir, we have the Terrans in custody."

He only got a raspy cough and a huge sneeze in response.

"Sir? Are you all right?"

WarRaptor snarled back, "No, I am _not _all right! The Great Blue and WarShego have just escaped! As soon as you bring the humans here, report to Battlefox for instructions on where to join in the search! _Aaaahchooo_!"

WarRaptor cut the connection and rubbed the side of his head. "Well, Battlefox, it's a good thing that the human cheerleader didn't realize how powerful her Lorwardian body now is, or how quickly we recover from injury. She only knocked us out for a few minutes."

"Yes, but those were the few minutes they needed to make their escape. That is, if they ever made it out of the labyrinth. That was a wise safety precaution you made in its construction."

"Yes, but now they're roaming around the city somewhere, along with that idiot Drakken and his trollop of a wife, WarShego. At least we have Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable in custody. They are by far the most dangerous of our adversaries. And now with their friends in custody, we finally hold the trump card over them."

"True. And it shouldn't be too long before all the others are recaptured. Not with the entire Lorwardian Home Guard diligently searching for them."

* * *

As soon as Shego and Drakken returned home, they noticed a cordon of Lorwardian guards posted around their residence.

"Oh, dear. It looks like we're a little too late, Shego."

"Not to worry, Dr. D. Remember that we can still get inside via the greenhouse."

As they stealthily made their way through the underground corridor connected to the house, Shego whined, "Boy, after all the break-ins I've ever done for you, Doc, I never thought we'd ever be breaking into our own house. And don't say anything about irony being ironic, or else I _will _slap you..."

It only took them a minute to gain entrance into their home. After a quick look around, Shego whispered, "Good, all clear inside. All the guards are still out there and none the wiser. Now let's see if I can reach anyone on my comm unit. This thing has enough juice to reach even Earth, so I should be able to break through any jamming that WarRaptor may be broadcasting."

She closed the door and flipped on the communications device. "It's good that this thing's in an interior room with no windows, or else we'd have a hard time screening the lights from those soldiers outside. So while I try to contact Warmonga, why don't you check the news to see what other delightful events are happening?"

Drakken nodded as she tuned the device to Warmonga's personal frequency. "Warmonga, come in please. Are you there? This is Shego. Come in please..."

A tense moment passed, followed by a crackle of static. Warmonga appeared, but she spoke with the voice of what sounded like a human girl. "Hello? Who did you say this is?"

Shego cocked a curious eyebrow. "This is Shego. Is that you, Warmonga?"

"No, I'm Bonnie Rockwaller, the cheer squad leader from Earth. Hey, aren't you that green flamey chick that became, like, the Princess Regis?"

Shego huffed, "That's Princess _Regent_. And why do you look like Warmonga?"

"Uh, long story. Some kind of brainy-switchy machine that WarRapper guy used on us."

Shego's jaw dropped nearly to the floor as she broke out in a fit of laughter. "Oh, this is just too great! Drakken's brain-switch machine has come back to haunt us! You got hit by that machine and you two switched, just like Dr. D and that Private What's-His-Face a few years ago. Well, at least we know now who's behind those tech thefts."

Warmonga's impatient voice was heard in the background. "_Would you give that to me please?_"

Bonnie's body appeared, but now spoke with the imperious voice of Warmonga. "WarShego! Warmonga is pleased you are still free. WarRaptor is a traitor and is attempting a coup. You are authorized to destroy him on sight, by my command!"

Shego was still wiping the tears from her eyes as she replied, "Uh, that's going to be a little tough, Empress, what with the entire Lorwardian Home Guard trying to hunt us down at the moment. But first, how did this happen?"

Warmonga snarled, "WarRaptor had planned on switching bodies with me as part of his plot, but his plan backfired when Bonnie Rockwaller was thrown into that infernal machine by accident. Battlefox and Wolfenstrike are also his co-conspirators, so be wary of them, WarShego."

"Yeah, I've already had a run-in with WarRaptor while trying to spring Dr. D, but thanks for the heads-up."

A devilish grin appeared on her face. "So, how do you like being in a human body for a change?"

Warmonga huffed, "It is... small. And weak."

Shego heard Bonnie yell out in the background, "Hey! That's _my _body you're dissing, if you don't mind!"

The Empress smugly continued, "But it _is_ rather... flexible. Still, Warmonga looks forward to regaining her true form as soon as possible. Fortunately, we still have the machine, but not the connecting wires, nor a power source."

"Well, how about we start by picking you two up, then we'll have Dr. D jury-rig the machine and put Humpty Dumpty back together again. Then you can announce to Lorwardia that you're not dead without raising everyone's eyebrows with that new body of yours. So, exactly where are you?"

"We are in an alcove within the southeast side of the stadium."

"Fine. Stay put until I get there, say about twenty minutes. First I need to reach Kim and Ron, and then I'll have Dr. D... er, the _Great Blue_ distract the guards around our home so I can escape unseen with the aircar."

Warmonga exhaled in relief. "Thank you, WarShego. You will be long remembered for this."

"Yeah, just as long as we all survive, that is. Shego out."

As Shego turned to Drakken, he gave her an apprehensive look. "Shego, I don't think we'll be reaching Kim and... and..."

He scratched his chin as he tried to recall Ron's name. "Uh, her husband for a while. According to the news, they've been captured, along with all of her cheerleader friends... and their chaperones."

Shego slammed one fist into her other palm. "And that means Kim's dad, whose also my uncle. This is _not _good."

She thought quickly. "Okay, here's the plan..."

* * *

Camille walked back into her hotel, pleased with herself that she had so easily distracted the guards around the High Command HQ.

"I just hope that it was long enough for Shego to spring that Drakken guy. It's too bad I couldn't have hooked up again with that yummy guard though..."

She opened the door and grandly swept into the suite. "Greets, peoples! Leona is back!"

She immediately sensed something wrong. "Hello? Anyone here?"

But her question was only met with silence.

"I wonder where they could have all gone?"

She glanced at the table and noticed the napkin that James Possible had hastily scribbled on. She gasped as she read it.

"Oh, poodles! How depressing. And I bet they're all being held at the same poppin' place I just came from. And since I don't have their digits, I've got no way to buzz Kim or Ron, either."

She had a sudden horrible thought. "Unless they've been captured too..."

She crumpled the note in anger and dropped it on the floor. "Well, it looks like it's up to me. Hold on girls, Camille's coming!"

_**TBC...**_


	16. Shell Game

_Well, as the thick plottens, er, the plot thickens, things are in a state of flux as half of our heroes try to rescue the other half without getting recaptured themselves. But first a shout-out to this week's reviewers: AlphaSeymour, Bookworm Gal, Oreochema, levi2000a1, Jimmy1201, LTA, CajunBear73, Linzerj, Eddy13, pbow, Reader101w, Tito-Mosquito, Sentinel 103 and temporaryinsanity91 for your great reviews. And for everyone else out there reading, leave a review and you'll get a reply. But first, let's catch up with Team Possible... _

* * *

As Kim and Ron waited impatiently in their holding cell, they began worrying about the well-being of their friends and family.

"Ron, I don't like this. We've been waiting here for half an hour without being given any further news. And we still have no idea where my dad, Mr. Barkin, or the rest of the cheer squad is."

Ron frowned. "Yeah, and not a peep from Drakken or Shego either."

Kim agreed, "That worries me too. And if they've been captured and arrested, then we may have to break out of here ourselves and rescue them."

Still, Ron tried to put a positive spin on their predicament. "Booyah, Kim! There's not a jail that's ever been made that we can't break out of, or even _into_ if we needed."

Kim giggled, "Ron, now you're sounding like Shego. Or a hardened criminal."

She gave him a sideward glace. "Something about your past you're not telling me?"

Ron grimaced, "Yeah, KP. I've been keeping it a secret all these years, but it's time to fess up, I guess."

The look on Kim's face told Ron she was _really_ worried now.

He smiled inwardly as he continued in a halting voice, "Kim, when I was six, I swiped a pack of gum from the local supermarket. But my dad found out about it and grounded me for a month."

He gave a sad sniff as he finished his awful confession. "Scarred me for life, KP."

Relieved, Kim gave him a roll of her eyes. "Well, I guess I'll just have to call you Sticky Fingers Stoppable from now on."

Just then the cell door opened, and in strode WarRaptor.

"Well, if it's not our human conspirators. And Earth's ambassador to Lorwardia no less."

Kim shot back, "Think again, WarRaptor. _You're_ the conspirator, not us. And we have a little saying on Earth: the bigger they are, the harder they fall. So when the truth is finally revealed, they'll probably lock you up and throw away the key."

Ron snickered, "And that's if you're lucky. After snuffing Warmonga, the High Council will probably want to feed you to a Thorgoggle."

Kim viciously added, "Not to mention what you did to our friend Bonnie."

But WarRaptor just smiled back at them both with bared teeth. "Not likely. I hold nearly all the cards at the moment. _Including _your father and your friends."

Kim angrily jumped up. "What do you mean?"

He easily continued, "Oh, just a little insurance that you don't break out of here and wreak havoc on our noble planet like you did the last time. And such a great pity about Warmonga, but now that she's gone, Lorwardia will need a new Emperor. So once I've been declared as such, we'll talk then about releasing you and your Terran friends."

"But what about Shego? Haven't you forgotten about that little detail about the right of succession? According to the Earth/Lorwardian Accords, if anything happens to Warmonga, Shego becomes the Empress."

He glibly replied, "Of course not. But since the announcement's been made that she and her dolt of a husband are responsible for Warmonga's assassination, it's not likely they'll be making any coronation plans soon."

Kim was aghast. "_What!?_ But they _aren't_ responsible! In fact, we're positive that _you're _behind all of this!"

WarRaptor gave a small shrug. "So you say. But without any proof, you'll have a hard time making that allegation stick. Especially considering Shego's well known temper, and_ both _her and Drakken's criminal past."

Ron winced. "Ooh, he's right Kim. Shego may be reformed, but she still has quite a lip and can still be pretty snarky. And they've only been on the straight and narrow for a year."

Kim snarled, "Who's side are you on, _Ron_?"

"Uh, ours of course, KP," he quickly backpedaled. "But this goon has really thought through his wrongsick plan, and given Lorwardia's violent past, they'll eat it right up."

Kim realized he was right, and glared back at her captor. "And what about Shego and Drakken? Are you holding them as well?"

WarRaptor cut loose with another vicious sneeze as a yellow cloud of pollen residue wafted off of his cape.

Kim immediately spotted it and drawled, "That wouldn't happen to be Dr. Drakken's pollen now, would it?"

The surprise on WarRaptor's face was clear to both Kim and Ron.

Ron snickered. "Ooh! Ooh! I'll bet you _did_ capture him, but he sprayed you with his bon-diggity mutagen and _escaped_..."

He crossed his arms and gave the increasingly angry Lorwardian a smug look. "Am I right?"

Kim smiled almost in spite of herself as WarRaptor futilely sputtered at being so easily read.

"You... you humans think you're so smart! In the name of Warhafter, I have never met a more aggravating race in the entire galaxy!"

As he continued to seethe in apoplectic rage, Kim beamed proudly at her husband. "Good one, Ron. You nailed that one right on the head."

He sniggered back, "Hey, KP, my essential Ronness can't be denied, even under dress."

Kim's eyebrows shot up. "Uh, I think you mean _duress_, Ron." She turned back to WarRaptor. "And where Drakken is, Shego can't be far behind."

Regaining a little of his composure, he growled back, "How very astute of you, Kim Possible. But I promise you that their recapture is only minutes away."

He continued offhandedly, "Oh, and should you or your sidekick husband take a single step outside of this cell, I've left standing orders to have your father and friends immediately disintegrated. I still hold _that_ trump card, and I promise you that I will _not _hesitate to use it. There will be no amazing rescues this time, not unless you and your friends want to live to see another sunrise."

Kim felt momentarily helpless. She could easily pound WarRaptor right through the wall if she wanted, and so could Ron. But they had no idea where her father and friends were being held, and it would mean their instant death as soon as she or Ron were spotted. Stalemate, at least for the moment.

"So just kick back and relax, and once I'm Emperor, you and your friends will be released."

Kim snarled back, "Sorry if I don't believe you, but what guarantee do I have that you'll keep your word?"

"Oh, I give you no guarantee, _Madame Ambassador_. In my opinion, you simply have no choice. Have I made myself clear?"

"Very clear. But does that include releasing Shego and Drakken? That is, if and when you recapture them."

Ron sneered, "And that's a mighty big if."

WarRaptor shrugged and smiled, "Sorry, no. We _do _need to make an example of traitors, of course. That whole breakdown of authority and chain of command thing. I'm sure you understand."

Kim gritted her teeth together. "No, I don't. I just hope you realize that you'll never get away with this. And may whatever god you believe in have mercy on your wicked soul should you harm a single hair on the head of _any_ of my friends or family, and that goes for Shego and Drakken as well."

WarRaptor answered her threat with a hearty laugh. "On the contrary! I think that Warhafter would most definitely _approve_."

He bent down, his face now mere inches away from Kim's. "You and the Great Whatever here may be exceedingly powerful, but both of you, like all good and noble beings, have one fatally weak spot: your sentimental attachments. Which I will exploit to the fullest, for I have no such simpering feelings to weaken me. But many Lorwardians have become imitators of your world and culture, and I will no longer allow this to poison the well of Lorwardian greatness. We will remain strong and merciless, and _that_ is why we are destined to rule the galaxy. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some special business to attend to."

WarRaptor turned on his heel and slammed shut the door of their cell. "Guards, if either of them set foot outside their cell, have all the humans killed immediately."

As he marched away, Kim fumed in anger. "We may just be sentimental humans, but that bastard's arrogance will be his downfall, I promise."

Ron nodded. "So what do we do now, Kim? We can't leave this prison without risking the lives of your dad and the cheer squad."

"And don't forget Mr. Barkin."

Ron looked a little uncertain. "Uh, yeah, him too."

Rufus popped out of Ron's pocket and angrily chittered something unintelligible.

"I'm sorry, little buddy. Barkin too, I promise."

Rufus gave a satisfied little _humph_.

Kim smiled at the tiny naked mole rat. "Don't worry, Rufus. We'll save Mr. Barkin and everyone else, or my name isn't Kim Possible. I may be the girl who can do anything, but I have to admit, this is going to be pretty challengey."

"Yeah. Too bad we didn't have Wade here to create a Holo-Kim. That way you could be in two places at the same time."

Kim instantly blurted, "Ron! You're a genius!"

He awkwardly looked around the cell, positive that Kim must be speaking to another super brainy Ron who had just magically appeared.

"Uh, what do you mean, KP?"

She whispered back, "You've just given me a great idea. It may stretch my comet powers to the max, but it's definitely worth a shot..."

A moment later, a softly glowing red Kim sat quietly next to Ron, as another Kim glowed reddish violet as she shrunk down to barely an inch high.

As Ron placed the miniature Kim through the grate of the ventilation shaft, he questioned, "You _sure_ this is going to work, Kim?"

She replied in a tiny voice, "Sure, why not? And when I rescue everyone, I'll reassemble myself right here, then we can break out without risking anyone's lives."

Ron began to smile. "Yeah, and then we can kick some major Lorwardian butt! Booyah!"

"You got it, Ron." As soon as she was inside the ventilation shaft, she resumed her normal size and quickly crawled away.

He turned to Kim's duplicate and asked, "So are you Kim One, or Kim Two?"

Ron had a sudden frightening flashback to his nightmare right after the Junior Prom, when a Kim synthodrone melted into the floor while dancing with him.

But she assured him, "One in the same, Ron. No matter how many of us there are, we're all still the same Kim."

Ron breathed a sigh of relief, then looked up as if he had just had a vision, a familiar goofy look appearing on his face.

Kim frowned, "I know that look, Ron. Having that fantasy again of being attacked by a bevy of crazed super models?"

He awkwardly pulled at his collar. "Uh, no, actually. Just a bevy of crazed Kim Possibles, that's all..."

Meanwhile, WarRaptor arrogantly marched into the high security area of the High Command HQ. After a quick look around, he spotted the main security station. Walking up to the guard on duty, the officer smartly saluted him.

He gruffly ordered, "Where are the humans being held?"

"Cell Block E, just as you ordered, sir."

"Of course I ordered it, you narfbrackle! Now get me two guards here, on the double!"

The officer dutifully complied and activated his comm unit. "Send two guards to Command Post 1 immediately!"

A moment later the two guards dutifully appeared. WarRaptor commanded them, "Follow me."

They all marched down the corridor and through another two checkpoints before arriving at Cell Block E.

WarRaptor ordered, "Wait here."

He entered the cell block and quickly found the humans, imprisoned within two cells of the facility's maximum security section. He first checked the cell of the Terran cheerleaders. A look of fear was on the face of every member of the female cheer squad. Next he checked on the two human males, James Possible and Steve Barkin. James looked on with concern, while Mr. Barkin returned WarRaptor's stare with a mixture of anger and resignation.

Pleased to find everyone present that he expected, WarRaptor nodded in satisfaction. As he unlocked their cells, he commanded in a loud blustery voice,"Everyone will follow me immediately."

Mr. Barkin stood up and gruffly asked, "Where are you taking us?"

WarRaptor grinned as he answered, "That's for me to know and you to find out."

The huge Lorwardian took the lead as they were marched down the corridor, the two guards taking up the rear to ensure that no one escaped.

James whispered to Steve, "I don't like the looks of this."

Steve grunted back, "Neither do I. I'm afraid we're being taken to our execution. But I do have a plan."

Tara whimpered, "I'm scared."

Hope sniffed, "I am too, Tara. We all are."

As soon as they exited the facility, WarRaptor motioned toward what looked like a large transport and announced, "All right, everyone on board."

He pointed a huge finger at Mr. Barkin. "You will drive. Guards, I'll take it from here."

The two guards looked perplexed, but saluted nonetheless and reentered the building.

WarRaptor hissed, "Drive. Quickly. Thataway."

Steve Barkin gritted his teeth and started the vehicle. Thinking quickly, he decided on a desperate course of action. At the first turn they made, he would rev the vehicle up and try to overturn it. He would then grapple with WarRaptor in order to allow time for everyone else to escape. It would certainly mean his own demise, but he decided that it would be a small price to pay for the lives of James and his charges.

As he started up the vehicle, Barkin thought grimly to himself, "_Well, after all my years in the service, I never thought it would end this way. Especially on a distant planet. Well, at least I can die knowing that Stoppable has finally realized that those Apollo moon landings weren't a hoax."_

However, as he drove away, he began to smile. "_Hmm, maybe they'll rename the high school after me_…"

* * *

In the meantime, Shego was not happy upon discovering the news that Team Possible was now in custody. "Okay, Doc, change of plans. Since everyone else is on ice, I'm going to go try and spring Kim and the Ronster while you pick up the Empress and that cheerleader and try to get them back into their own bodies."

Drakken however immediately began to brusquely pontificate. "Now, now, Shego, as the man of the house, this really should be my decision."

But before Shego could fire up her plasma in warning, Drakken continued.

"Since you're the stealthier one, why don't _you _try and rescue Kim and... and..."

Shego huffed, "Ron."

"Yes, of course, Ron. And since I'm the scientific genius, I will retrieve Warmonga and Bonnie and see about fixing that brain-switch machine, especially since _I _was the one who invented it."

Shego smiled back slyly and snarked, "Wow, what a great idea, Dr. D. I don't think I could have come up with a better plan myself."

He continued with a little less bravado, "Well, I have to admit that does sound a lot safer for me too. You've always been the more daring one, Shego, while I've usually just been the schemer. But why don't Kim and Ron simply break out themselves? They're truly both indeed... _all that_."

She shrugged, "Dunno, Drew. And that worries me. But first we have to do something about those guards outside."

Drakken snickered, "No problem, my dear. I have a perfect idea, and I won't even need a 3x5 index card to write it down on..."

A minute later Shego appeared on the far side of the house and announced to the soldiers, "Yoo-hoo! Hey guys, it's your Princess Regent. Thanks for the honor guard!"

As expected, they all came rushing toward her, weapons drawn and at the ready.

But as soon as they had passed him, Drakken stepped behind them from out of the shadows and commanded, "Flowers, take them all out!"

A instant later, a dozen shoots exploded out from Drakken, snagging the soldiers in an inextricable tangle of vines.

Shego chuckled under her breath, "Just like taking candy from a baby."

Anger flared on their faces, but they were unable to speak as Drakken had likewise gagged them with his colorful blooms.

Shego placed her hands on her hips and sternly began, "All right, ya big lugs! First things first. WarRaptor is behind this coup, not us. And Warmonga is still alive."

A look of shocked amazement appeared in the soldier's eyes.

"But she's, uh, not quite herself. But I'll let her explain that when she gets here. Right now, just sit tight and relax, and this will all be over before you know it. But first..."

She gathered up all of their blasters and power lances, as well as their comm devices.

"Just in case you change your mind about whose side you should _really_ be on."

Drakken looked on in proud approval. "Well, Shego, you certainly haven't lost your touch."

She turned to her blue-skinned husband with a wide smile. "Ya got _that_ right, Doc. Oh, and here."

She handed him one of the communication devices.

"I think these should work fine. I doubt that WarRaptor would jam the wrist comms of his own troops."

"Good thinking, Shego."

"And don't you forget it," she smirked back. "Good luck with the Empress and the cheerleader. I'll call you as soon as I've sprung Kim and Ron."

As Shego roared off in her groundcar, Drakken considered a further idea as he looked at the guards.

"Hmm, a little extra protection certainly wouldn't hurt..."

A moment later, the soldiers found themselves surrounded by a circle of what looked like giant Venus Flytraps. Slaver dripped from the plant's gigantic jaws.

"Gentlemen! These are Lorwardian Flytraps. They're similar to the Earth variety, but _much_ larger as you can clearly see."

His hooded eyes observed them all in satisfaction as he drawled, "And they are carnivorous, and _very_ hungry. But as long as you stay put, I'll be happy to feed them when I get back. Unless you try to escape of course, in which case _you _will be the next item on their menu. Am I making myself clear?"

They immediately nodded in total understanding.

"Good! I'll be back in a jiffy..."

His cackle echoed throughout the courtyard as he started up his aircar and flew off into the distance.

Kim continued to crawl through the air vents until she reached a guard station manned by a single Lorwardian. "Man, I really wish I had my super-suit. Invisibility would be ferociously cool right about now..."

Instead, she shrunk down to minuscule height and began to crawl down the wall. Fortunately, the texture of the wall was such that she easily found the necessary hand holds to scale down to the floor. Springing up to her full height directly behind the unsuspecting guard, she instantly began glowing blue with super strength, jumping up and easily knocking the guard unconscious with a powerful double karate chop to either side of his thick neck. As he slumped to the floor, she plugged her Kimmunicator into the control panel and activated its search mode, hoping to discover the cell in which her father and friends were being held.

"I just hope they're all in one location, or else this is gonna get dicey real fast."

A moment later she smiled in relief. Success.

"Good. It looks like they're all being held in two adjoining cells in Cell Block E, just at the end of the next corridor."

Inside his cell, Ron's own Kim smiled as she whispered, "Ron, I think I've found them."

He perked up instantly. "Coolio!"

Back at the guard station, Kim carefully peeked around the corner and saw that the coast was clear. Splitting herself into two more identical forms, her two twins rushed toward the cell doors as she acted as the lookout. But their mouths fell open in surprise at what met their eyes as they peered inside.

"Empty! But where could they have been moved to?"

Unfortunately, she had voiced that question aloud. All three of her duplicates, in fact. And well within the hearing of two guards just around the corner, who immediately investigated the commotion.

As soon as the first Lorwardian spotted the three Kims, he bellowed, "It's the Great Red! Sound the alarm!"

Caught off guard, she hastily resumed her singular form and promptly pummeled the closest Lorwardian, but not before the other guard was able to hit the alarm button. Loud klaxons began sounding throughout the entire facility.

She grunted, "Good one, Kim. Now the whole HQ is on high alert."

Back in his own cell, Ron only heard his own Kim duplicate gasp, "Empty! But where could they have been moved to?"

And then she disappeared, followed immediately by alarm sirens signaling an escape.

"Kim? Kim!" he yelled in panic.

"Oh, man, this is so not good..."

At that moment, Shego had just exited an air vent, landing catlike directly outside Cell Block E. When the klaxons began sounding, she instantly thought she was to blame.

"Aw, crap. I guess I'm a little out of practice in being stealthy. I _knew_ I should have completed that Ninja correspondence course while I still had the chance."

Kim nearly bowled her completely over as she came barreling around the corner. They looked at each other in shocked surprise.

"Kim?"

"Shego?"

"Holy crap, it's great to see you, but what the hell is going on?"

She breathlessly replied, "Trying to rescue my dad, Barkin and the cheer squad. But they weren't in their cell, and I was just spotted."

"Whoa. And I was just on my way to rescue _you_ and your sidekick. A minute late and a mirf short, I guess."

As they ran down the corridor, Shego panted, "So where _is_ Ron?"

"Still in _his_ cell. Too bad I can't communicate with him because of WarRaptor's mental dampening field."

Shego smiled. "Well, you can now. I found the Emergency Off Switch for that damn thing not five minutes ago."

Kim gushed, "Really? That's just spankin,' Shego!"

Kim stopped for a moment and immediately tried to mentally focus on Ron.

"_Ron... Ron... come in, Ron..._"

Nothing.

"_Pretty please, Ron?_"

She tried adding a Puppy-Dog Pout, but still got nothing. Then an idea struck her.

"_If this doesn't get his attention, nothing will..._"

She immediately tried to project a vision of a dozen Kim Possibles dressed in sheer Arabian veils, waving palm fronds and peeling grapes for a totally entranced Ron Stoppable, as if he were a sultan surrounded by a bevy of adoring harem girls.

Almost immediately, she received a mental reply.

"_Kim?_"

She silently snickered, "_Yeah, I thought that would get your attention_."

A naked mole rat giggle was then mentally perceived by both of them as well.

"_Oops. Looks like Rufus is tuned into our mental frequency too, Kim_."

As Kim began to blush, Ron continued, "_But I thought that WarRaptor's mental jamming thingy kept me from doing my mystical monkey mojo?_"

"_Luckily, Shego found its Off Switch, and she's here with me right now. But my dad, Barkin and the cheer squad weren't in their cells, and we have no idea where they are now. And since I've already been spotted, you better break out of there pronto, Ron. I just hope they're all still okay."_

"_Yup, that's a big 10-4, KP."_

* * *

At that moment, WarRaptor and his hostages were traveling down Lorwardia Prime's main road, and would soon be outside the city limits. They had been traveling in silence for twenty minutes, each person fearfully contemplating their fate. The only sounds heard emanating from the back were a few sniffs and whimpers from the frightened cheerleaders.

Barkin was frustrated by all the military traffic passing back and forth. Every time he thought he might be able to pick up enough speed in order to try tipping the vehicle, another bottleneck would occur as they slowed to a crawl.

Suddenly, a Lorwardian guard waved for the vehicle to stop.

Barkin rolled down his window as the guard began berating him. "All right, where are you humans going? Haven't you heard that martial law's been declared? Get back to your quarters!"

WarRaptor leaned over and snarled, "These humans are my concern, Subcommander! Now get back to work!"

The guard visibly paled as he recognized the powerful leader, stuttering back, "Yessir! Right away, sir! We're just checking all vehicles leaving the city, since WarShego and the Great Blue are still at large."

WarRaptor growled back, "Very well. Carry on."

Barkin rolled the window back up as the guard quickly waved them on. Now he feared that although time was probably running out, he also realized that the girls might be seriously injured once he executed his plan to flip the vehicle. But how to warn them? Then he spotted something, and smiled.

"_Seat belts_..."

He looked up and also noticed a PA system. "_Perfect..._"

He reached up and grabbed the microphone, hoping that WarRaptor wouldn't object. He switched it on. "All right people, listen up! Until we reach wherever we're going, bus driver rules apply, and I want everyone sitting down with their seat belts fastened."

This was met with groans from the cheerleaders as they reluctantly complied.

"_Well, at least that got their minds off of wherever we're headed, and those restraints should protect them when I try flippin' us."_

He snuck a sidelong glance at WarRaptor, but he seemed more interested in looking out the windshield and in the rear-view mirror, carefully watching passing traffic. "_Being stopped by that guard really seemed to spook him for some reason_..."

Then he realized how comfortable his seat was, and how plush the vehicle's accommodations were with its thick carpeting. And how unlike a military transport this vehicle was, with no storage for weapons or equipment.

All of a sudden it clicked in his mind. "_Hey, this isn't a military transport. It's a freakin' tour bus!_"

He turned to address his captor. "Hey, WarRaptor. From one military man to another, doesn't this transport seem a little, uh, _too_ luxurious for a military vehicle?"

WarRaptor curiously replied, "Actually, it's not luxurious _enough _for my taste, Mr. Barkin." He quickly corrected himself. "Uh, _human_."

Barkin was more than a little surprised at WarRaptor's response. James also seemed perplexed. Something didn't seem quite right here. Then he recognized not only their route, but exactly where they were headed.

WarRaptor was also paying close attention to their route, and finally announced, "There, up ahead! We're almost there. Now pull over, next to the second spaceship on the right."

Steve was about to execute his plan to try and flip the vehicle, when his eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Hey, we're at the spaceport! And that's…"

James beamed, "Yes, and that's the Kepler IV."

He turned and faced their Lorwardian captor. "All right, WarRaptor. Do you mind telling us what's _really_ going on here?"

As Mr. Barkin slowed the bus to a stop, the Lorwardian swiftly morphed back into her human form. Leona now stood before them, to everyone's great relief.

"Yeah, peoples. I've just sprung you from that snore of a prison, and now it's time to go home."

_**TBC...**_


	17. Breakout

_Camille comes through in the clutch! And a round of applause for those who guessed the subterfuge, as well as last chapter's reviewers: Eddy13, levi2000a1, Sentinel103, CajunBear73, Bookworm Gal, temporaryinsanity91, pbow, Jimmy1201, Linzerj, Oreochema, AlphaSeymour, LTA, Reader101w, Tito-Mosquito and Katsumara. Thanks for your wonderful reviews, and to everyone else out there who's reading. But it's not over yet. Not by a long shot... _

* * *

James Possible was astounded at Leona's revelation. "Why… why, you're a shapeshifter! But the only shapeshifter I know of is Camille Leon, my daughter's evil nemesis."

He instantly frowned. "And if I remember correctly, she was doing time in prison back on Earth." His frown deepened. "Would you happen to know anything about that, Leona? Or should I say, Camille?"

Everyone waited expectantly for her answer. With a small sigh, she made the final reversion to her true form. Everyone gasped in shock.

"Yes, peoples, I'm Camille. But I've been on a secret mission with Kim and Ron under the direction of Global Justice, and I'm officially, like, on parole. An alien shapeshifter swiped some perfectly poppin' technology in order to help WarRaptor take over Lorwardia, and then tried to pin the dirty deed on yours truly. I agreed to help when they promised me time off for good behavior, and a chance for some yummy revenge."

She turned to her cheerleading friends. "Kim swore me to secrecy in case anything went wrong. And it _oh _so did as we've all found out. It was a little scary, but I've got to admit I had a lot of fun springing you guys by impersonating that loser."

Steve Barkin looked at her askance. "Well, that's quite a story, Ms. Leon, but since neither Possible or Stoppable are here, can you prove it?"

"Sure, just check with your talkity computer."

As they all climbed aboard the Kepler IV, James switched on the main computer. "Sadie, is Camille Leon telling the truth about being on parole and performing an undercover mission with Kim and Ron?"

Sadie's gentle voice responded, "That's right, Dr. Possible. Kim and Ron were the only people who knew to begin with, but Shego discovered her secret now as well."

Everyone immediately looked relieved and began speaking at once.

"Thank you, Leona!"

"Why didn't you just tell us from the beginning?"

"Wow, you really did great as a cheerleader too!"

But Mr. Barkin immediately waved for quiet so he could ask a very important question.

"This is all well and good, but why didn't you just reveal all of this to us as soon as we were free?"

"One very good reason, Mr. Barkin. Until we were actually totally safe-like here at the Kepler, there was always a chance that some dumb Lorwardian would happen by and figure out what was really going on, and we'd be _sooo_ busted. So instead of asking you to kind of pretend to be scared, I had to let you actually _be _a little freaked out."

James nodded in understanding. "That was actually a good call. Especially when we were stopped by that Lorwardian excuse for a highway patrol officer."

Barkin grumbled, "Maybe, but do you realize I was just about ready to crash the bus and take you on in hand-to-hand combat in order to allow everyone else to escape?"

All the girls cooed their thanks at Barkin's revelation.

"Ooh, Mr. Barkin, you would have really done that for us?"

"Wow, that would have been so brave! Thank you!"

Barkin merely waved his hand as he tried to remain humble. "No, no, that's quite all right, thankfully it never came to that. It's just my old military training kicking in, that's all."

James then spoke up. "Well, I'm just glad we're all still in one piece. But we have no idea where Kim and Ron are at the moment, and you just said that it was time to go home."

"That's right. WarRaptor was holding you hostage to keep Kim and Ron in custody and prevent them from totally trashing him and the Lorwardian Guard like they did last year. But as long as we remain on this planet, we're all still in danger."

"That's true, but what about Kim and Ron? Do you know where they are? And are they okay?"

"I… I don't know. And I'm not sure what happened to Shego either. I helped her sneak into that Lorwardian prison thingy so she could rescue that Drakken guy, but I haven't heard from either of them since."

James gave her a determined look and forcefully stated, "Well, we're not leaving without my Kimmie-cub and my son-in-law. And not without knowing what's happened to Shego and Dr. Drakken either. They've all laid down their lives for us on more than one occasion, and we couldn't possibly leave them behind. We'll wait right here until we hear from them."

Everyone nodded in agreement, even Mr. Barkin.

Sadie then made an announcement which made the decision a moot point. "Which is good, because we couldn't even leave if we wanted to, Dr. Possible. The damage from that asteroid collision hasn't been repaired yet, and the Kepler's fuel tanks are empty."

Camille wondered, "I can understand the damage, but I thought we had a totally awesome super-duper faster-than-light engine thingy?"

James sadly confirmed, "Yes, but we need chemical rockets to launch into deep space first. We can't just jump to translight speed at the drop of a hat, Camille. And now that martial law has been imposed, I don't suppose the Lorwardians will be refilling _anyone's_ tanks, especially ours. They're not going to let anyone get off the planet until they have everyone they want in custody, and I'm afraid that goes for us in particular."

Camille nodded in agreement. "Then I better go and find them, while you peoples all stay here."

"That sounds dangerous, Camille. I think you should stay here too until we know more about what's happening out there. Steve, why don't you see what kind of update you can get on the video while I try to reach Kim and Ron somehow."

Sadie warned, "That's going to be rather problematic, Dr. Possible. All com channels are being jammed, except a for a few military ones and of course the official news stations."

Barkin turned on a newsvid and began smiling after a few moments. "Yeah, but the news sounds pretty good. It sounds like Possible, Stoppable, Drakken and Ms. Go are _all_ still at large."

James chuckled with relief. "Well, we know it's hard to keep a good world saver down. And that goes for all of them, I suppose."

He turned to Camille with a sigh. "So I guess I'll have to take you up on your offer, Camille. We'll just sit tight here until we hear back from you and everyone else. Good luck."

"I'll find them, James. I promise." And with that, she slipped off into the night.

* * *

With klaxons still blaring, Kim and Shego raced down the corridor of the Lorwardian HQ.

"I sure hope my dad and everyone else is okay. And I hope Ron can reach them before anything else happens to them."

Shego huffed, "Well, let's just worry about getting out of here alive first, shall we? But at least I've got some other real good news. The Empress is still alive and kicking, and so is your cheerleader friend."

Kim was overjoyed at the revelation. "What? Bonnie and Warmonga are _alive_? That's fantastic!" Her mind instantly swam with a thousand questions. "But how? Were they badly injured? Are they okay? And where are they now?"

"Whoa, slow down, Cupcake. It's complicated. WarRaptor captured Warmonga in order to switch bodies by using Drakken's brain-switch machine, as part of his plot to take over. That explosion was really just some fancy smoke and mirrors to make everyone think she'd been blasted into oblivion. Bonnie just got caught in it by accident."

"Well, that explains why no one else was injured, even the people right next to the explosion, like me and the cheer squad."

Shego snickered, "Oh, but it gets even better. Somehow, it was Warmonga and Bonnie who got switched."

Kim's jaw nearly dropped to the floor, as she recalled the time when she and Ron had accidentally switched bodies.

"Get out! Oh, man, they must both be fit to be tied! So where are they now?"

"Drakken's rescuing them right now. Once he gets them and the machine back to our lair... er, _home_, then he'll trip the light switchtastic so everyone can live happily ever after."

But they rushed around the next corner only to run into an entire squad of Lorwardian guards, armed and ready to fire.

Both sides stopped dead in their tracks as one guard bellowed out, "Surrender at once, or we will open fire!"

The two cousins gave each other a sly sidelong glance as they each powered up their flaming green plasma. With a mighty swoosh, they made a simultaneous declaration.

"_FIRE IN THE HOLE!_"

Shego sighed, "And Kimmie, please don't say, 'Jinx, you owe me a soda,' or else I'll have to treat you to a little plasma burst myself."

But upon hearing the word 'soda,' the squad leader held up both hands. "Wait, everyone! Hold your fire!"

He called out to the green-skinned Princess Regent. "WarShego, is your offer still good for that year's supply of Hank's Intergalactic Cupcakes, plus the all-you-can eat buffet at Bueno Nacho every Warhafterday?"

She chuckled, "You forgot the part about all the Glorf Beer you can drink."

The guards instantly began drooling in expectation. Their leader carefully queried, "So we can take that as a yes?"

Shego gave them a single cautious nod. "Yeah, that's right."

All of the guards immediately holstered their weapons and bowed down on bended knee before her.

"We are therefore yours to command, Princess WarShego, victor in the Great Battle of the Moon of Parfa! I am Commander Battlesquirrel, at your service. What are your orders?"

Amazed by this turn of events, Shego broke out in a wide smile. "Hey, now that's more like it..."

Kim was likewise astounded. "Wow, Shego! That worked even better than my famous Puppy Dog Pout!"

"Yeah, more like Pavlov's dogs, actually. I ran into these guys earlier today, but they waited a little too long to respond to my offer. Good thing they didn't hesitate _this_ time, or else they'd be nursing some third-degree burns right about now."

She turned to the guards. "Okay, Battlesquirrel. I've been given direct orders by Warmonga herself that WarRaptor is actually the traitor, along with Battlefox and Wolfenstrike. So we need to apprehend them first while the Empress, uh, tries to recover from her, uh, _accident_."

Battlesquirrel looked deeply concerned. "Are her injuries extensive? Will she recover?"

"Oh, sure, no problem," Shego glibly answered. "She's just not quite herself at the moment."

Kim snorted, trying to choke back a laugh. "So, where is WarRaptor right now?"

"He left not too long ago, after taking the humans with him."

Kim suddenly looked extremely concerned. "Did he say where he was taking them or exactly what he was going to do with them?"

She felt the blood drain from her face, fearing that he might have decided to execute them now that she and Ron had escaped.

"I'm not sure, he didn't say. But come to think of it, there were a few things that struck me as very strange."

"Uh, like what?" Kim queried.

"Well, not only did he personally escort them, and then dismiss all the other guards once outside, but he left on a tour bus rather than one of our standard troop carriers."

"Hmm, I take it that's not exactly standard procedure?"

"It's actually very unusual. A person of WarRaptor's rank would normally delegate menial tasks that that to an underling."

Kim's shoulders slumped. "Unless he planned to execute them himself so there would be no witnesses to his evil deed."

She furrowed her brow in deep concentration as she quickly tried to reach Ron. "_Ron, are you there_?"

She got an instant reply. "_Right here, KP. Uh, just a sec, por favor_?"

The sound of a psychic monkey scream could be heard as Ron took out yet another guard with his Mystical Monkey Power.

"_So how're you doing? Are you okay, Kim_?"

"_Fine, Ron. And spankin' news, Bonnie and Warmonga are still alive and well!"_

"_Alive? Wow, that's totally badical, Kim!"_

"_Yeah, but WarRaptor has taken Dad and everyone else somewhere, and I'm afraid of what he'll do to them now that we've flown the coop. Can you try to reach them somehow_?"

"_Ooh, _s_orry, Kim. It's not like I can call 'em up on a mystical cellphone, ya know. The only people I have that much of a mental affinity with is you, Rufus, Yori and Sensei. But I'll give it my best shot. I'll get back to you as soon as I get out of here._"

More monkey screams were heard as his mind faded from hers.

Ron nodded in satisfaction as he clobbered the last of the guards that stood between him and the exit.

"There, that oughta do it. And I managed to knock 'em all out without inflicting any permanent injuries."

He looked at one Lorwardian who was still embedded halfway through the wall. "Uh, I think..."

As soon as he strolled out the door, Rufus popped up out of his pants pocket.

"Okay, Rufus, I need your help. We need to locate Mr. Dr. P and our friends, like, muy pronto."

Rufus mentally replied, "_Very well. A touch of astral projection, and then some mental triangulation, I assume_?"

"You've got it, little guy. You take the north side and I'll take the south side."

"_And I'll be in Scotland afore ye_?" he added with a giggle.

Ron smiled back, "Yeah, something like that."

As they each closed their eyes, they began to concentrate, and were soon projecting their spirits to equidistant points at the far north and south ends of Lorwardia Prime.

"_All right, Rufus. We'll search clockwise in gradually diminishing concentric circles. First one to spot them gets an extra helping of cheese nachos at Bueno Nacho!_"

Rufus responded with a pleasant "_Mmmm, cheese!_" and patted his tummy at the thought.

"_Okay, here goes_..."

* * *

Meanwhile, Drakken had spotted Warmonga and Bonnie crouching within one of the stadium's alcoves, and deftly landed the aircar beside them.

Warmonga began, "Ah, the Great Blue! And where is WarShego?"

Drakken raised a curious eyebrow as he heard Warmonga's imperious voice emanating from the rather diminutive form of Bonnie Rockwaller.

"Uh, she's currently trying to locate Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable."

He eyed the brain-switch machine. "And since this device is my particular creation, I thought I'd pick you two up myself and expedite getting each of you back into your own bodies."

Bonnie exhaled with a big huff and whined, "That would be _such _a relief. And by the way, did you bring anything to eat with you? I'm totally famished!"

Drakken smiled knowingly. "Ah, yes. I can understand that, what with the Lorwardian's faster metabolism and all. I'm sure I've got some intergalactic cupcakes back at my lair... er, home, lab, whatever. So, ladies first?"

He gestured toward the aircar as he looked over the brain-switch machine. "Hmm. This looks a little smaller than I remember. Maybe Global Justice only rebuilt a three-quarter sized replica from my plans. Just as well..."

He grunted as he tried to drag the machine toward the aircar. "Nngh! A little help here, please?"

Bonnie easily picked up the device and dropped it into the aircar's oversized trunk with a large crash, followed by a tinkle of broken glass.

"Careful, this device has some rather delicate parts."

Bonnie muttered, "Now you tell me..."

Warmonga queried, "And how long before we can resume our own forms? Warmonga must capture WarRaptor as soon as possible in order to regain command."

Drakken scratched his chin. "Well, my lab's power source should be sufficient to operate it, so I'd say just as soon as I can hook it up. But where are the power cables?"

Bonnie grinned sheepishly. "Oopsies. I used them to tie up the bad guys."

Warmonga added, "Who escaped nevertheless. Warmonga shall take great pleasure in personally executing them _all._"

As she spoke, she raised a fist clenched in ire as she fiercely bared her teeth in anger. In her Lorwardian form, that visage would have appeared overwhelmingly imposing, calculated to strike fear into anyone observing her. In Bonnie's human form, however, it came off as merely comical.

Drakken choked back a laugh and replied, "Of course, Warmonga, girl. But not to worry, we'll have you back to normal before you can whistle Dixie."

"But why would I wish to pipe a tune from your American Civil War?"

Drakken smiled wanly as they flew off. "You'll find that answer under 'W' in your English-Lorwardian Idiomatic Dictionary..."

* * *

As Ron and Rufus swirled over Lorwardia Prime in their search, they began to pick up random conversations from the rank-and-file Lorwardian populace.

"_I can hardly believe that WarShego and the Great Blue would wish to harm the Empress. Per the treaty, she would not succeed her and become the new Empress, and they'd lose their cupcake company as well_..."

"_Yes, and the High Council would of course appoint a new regent. And the absurd claim that the Great Red actually set off the device that killed her? Outrageous! I smell something rotten in Taygeta_..."

"_I agree, Battleboomer. I think someone is actually trying to take over our food supply for financial or political gain, or perhaps it could be yet another human plot to disrupt our world, in retribution for our past attacks_..."

"_Oh, Warsnarkle. You and your Occupy Lorwardia Prime friends have been watching too many of those conspiracy-theory newsvids on Anarchy Now_..."

Just then, Rufus happily chittered, "_Found them!_"

Within seconds, both of their spirits zoomed down to the location of their friends. Tara let out a tiny scream as the ghostly forms of Ron and Rufus suddenly materialized before them.

Gently floating over the deck of the Kepler IV, Ron flashed her a big smile. "Hey Tara, chill out! It's me, Ron!"

With a pleasant giggle, the tiny spectral mole rat also chimed in. "And Rufus!"

As everyone breathed a mutual sigh of relief, James Possible voiced the next question on everyone's mind.

"Ronald! It's wonderful to see you both, but do you know where Kim is? And is she all right?"

"I'll find out in a jiffy, Mr. Dr. P. No problemo for the Ronman. And believe me, she's just as concerned about you guys, too. Uh, gals. That is, all of you, together, no matter what your gender or current shapeshifted form is. There, I think that about covers it..."

Mr. Barkin gave him a long-suffering look as he placed a hand on his now throbbing forehead.

James likewise sighed, "Thanks for your consideration, Ronald, but how about Kimmie-cub, if you please?"

"Oh, yeah! Right." As everyone waited breathlessly, Ron closed his eyes as he continued to float before them. He reached Kim immediately.

"_Hey, Kim! Badical news, everyone is alive and well and hiding out on the Kepler. It seems that Camille masqueraded as WarRaptor and got everyone to safety._"

Kim's relief was palpable. "Thanks so much for finding them, Ron! And please let Camille know I'll thank her personally when I see them all. And I've got some real spankin' news too. Bonnie and Warmonga are still alive! They've both confirmed that WarRaptor is the real villain behind all this. That explosion was totally bogus: it was just to make us believe the Empress was dead."

Ron immediately conveyed the good news to everyone's tremendous relief as Kim continued.

"But his plan backfired when Bonnie and Warmonga accidentally got brain-switched, just like we did that one time."

"_Oh, no! Not_ _Bon-Bon and the Empress_?" Ron shook his head in wonder. "_Oh, man. Can this get any weirder_?"

"I sure hope not. My own brain already hurts enough with this sitch. Anyway, Drakken is picking them up right now along with the device. I'm with Shego right now, and we've got a squad of Lorwardian guards back on our side as well."

"_Sounds great, KP! So what's the plan_?"

"While Drakken gets everyone's brains back into the right bodies, Shego and I will locate and arrest WarRaptor. Now that I know everyone's safe, that creep has lost his last trump card over us. Then Warmonga can make the official announcement to the whole planet and nip his wrongsick junta in the bud. You and Rufus get to the Kepler and protect everyone in case any Lorwardians still allied to WarRaptor try to nab you guys again."

"_Roger that, Kim. See you soon I hope_..."

As Ron faded from her mind, Kim turned to Shego and the guards. "Okay, everyone. I think we're finally gaining the upper hand, and it's time to kick some major butt. And for the first order of business, we find WarRaptor!"

* * *

Now back in his lab, Drakken happily hummed to himself as he made the final connections to the brain-switch device. Warmonga was quite understandably impatient.

"How much longer will this take, O Great Blue?"

Bonnie chimed in as well as she scarfed down another box of cupcakes. "Yeah. This body's not so bad, but I can't wait to be me, myself and I again."

Drakken grunted, "Just a few more adjustments, and ... there! Now to try it out."

He flipped the switch.

Nothing happened.

"Nnngh."

He flipped it again.

Still nothing.

His brow furrowed in frustration as he swore under his breath, quickly flipping the switch back and forth several times in succession.

Bonnie looked over at Warmonga and asked, "Do the males on your world get as short-tempered as ours do?"

Warmonga shrugged. "If not more."

Drakken sneered back, "Trying to concentrate here, if you don't mind..."

He took a deep breath as he activated a diagnostic program. His frown deepened as a red light immediately began strobing.

"Well, the good news is that I know what the problem is."

Bonnie groused, "Uh-oh, I hear a 'but' coming..."

He sighed back, "Yes, unfortunately. The bad news is that the cesium transmodulator has been fractured, probably when you dropped the device into the back of my aircar. The device can't possibly function without it."

Warmonga queried, "But it can be fixed, correct?"

Drakken shook his head. "No, but it can be replaced. It's just that, uh, this is a custom-built device, and the nearest replacement part is, well, back on Earth."

"WHAT!?" Bonnie and Warmonga both screamed simultaneously.

"You mean we're _stuck _like this?" Bonnie yelled.

The Empress fumed, "Warmonga has a planet to run and traitors to kill! This is totally unacceptable!"

Drakken chided, "_Now_ who's getting short-tempered?"

Bonnie grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off the floor, yelling directly into his face, "Fix this thing! NOW!"

Drakken's eyes bugged out of his head as he hung several feet above the floor. "Urrkk..."

Warmonga warned, "Put him down, Bonnie Rockwaller. If you damage him, we may end up like this permanently."

The nine-foot high cheerleader fumed, but finally relented. "Oh, all right..."

As she put him down, he gasped, "Thank you, Warmonga."

"Of course, O Great Blue. Now, can you not fabricate the necessary replacement part here on Lorwardia?"

He scratched his chin in thought. "Well, although the container itself isn't much of a problem, I would need a small supply of cesium-137. And since that's a radioactive isotope that can only be created by nuclear fission, there's not much chance of procuring that, unless you happen to have a nuclear reactor handy."

Warmonga grimaced. "Unfortunately, we retired all of our ancient reactors long ago. After harnessing the power of micro-singularities for our energy needs, they were no longer needed."

"Then I guess I'll need to contact Earth right away and have them ship us some."

Warmonga's frown deepened. "I fear that would not work either, as we used every available ship to transport the spectators from a hundred worlds here to Lorwardia in order to experience the Interstellar Games firsthand."

"Well, then. I suppose that means that if the mountain won't come to Mohammed, then Mohammed must go to the mountain."

But before Warmonga could once again question his idiomatic reference, Drakken declared, "So how about we all take a quick trip back to Earth? I've kept the spare parts to all of my old take-over-the world devices back at my former lair. And I seem to remember that the Rocky Mountains is quite pleasant this time of year."

Warmonga carefully considered this. "Ooh. The present situation here is much too serious for me to risk leaving the planet. But I will allow you to use my Imperial Shuttle. It is very fast, and you should be able to make the round trip in less than two earth weeks. But you will need to hurry. I can hardly announce to Lorwardia that I'm still alive while in _this_ tiny body."

Bonnie growled at the slight, but otherwise said nothing. Drakken on the other hand broke out in a wide grin.

"Come to think of it, I may have just the thing, Warmonga, girl."

Back at the Lorwardian HQ building, Kim, Shego and the guards had just finished making an exhaustive search for the renegades, but had come up shorthanded. WarRaptor, Battlefox and Wolfenstrike were nowhere to be found.

"Well, Shego, this is just ferociously super. Where could they have gone?"

Shego laconically shrugged. "Dunno, Kim. Hopefully they just gave up on their plan and went into hiding. Who knows, maybe they completely left the planet. But one thing's for sure, WarRaptor and his cronies aren't going to just magically appear and say, '_Here we are_!' "

"Yeah, I guess you're right. So, got any brilliant ideas?"

Just then, every display screen in Lorwardia Prime activated.

The reporter breathlessly announced, "This is Tricia Warpowski with this urgent update. Our Empress has been found, and although seriously injured, she is alive! Repeat, the Empress Warmonga is still alive! WarRaptor and the Empress will be making an official announcement on a special live broadcast direct from our studios, just moments from now. Please stay tuned for this crucial report..."

Shego smirked, "Well, Princess, I stand corrected."

"Yeah, but something smells fishy. That seems awfully quick for Warmonga and Bonnie to get their brains switched back, and besides, Warmonga would undoubtedly shoot WarRaptor and his cronies on sight at this point."

"No kidding. And besides, I think Drakken would have called me first to let us know what's going on. Let me try reaching him."

She activated her wristcomm, tuned to one of the still unjammed frequencies. "Hey Dr. D! What's happening?"

After a crackle of static, the blue-skinned scientist appeared. "Uh, we've hit a snag, Shego. The brain-switch machine isn't working, and I need to pick up a spare part for it back on Earth."

"Whoa. But I just saw a newsflash announcing that Warmonga's still alive, and that WarRaptor and her are going live with a special report in just a few minutes."

"Well, if anyone claiming to be the Empress appears live on any news report, it won't be the real Warmonga, I guarantee it."

Suddenly, everything clicked in Kim's mind. "Shego! I think I know what he's planning to do. C'mon, we've got to get to that station right away!"

_**TBC...**_


	18. Cross and Double Cross

_Things are really heating up now as WarRaptor's plans continue to unravel, thanks to Kim's persistence and Ron's power of imagination. And thanks for everyone's patience as I continue to work on tying together various plot threads and foreshadowing while advancing the narrative, catch grammar, spelling and continuity errors, and still keep it an entertaining story... _

_And a hearty round of applause for last chapter's reviewers: Bookworm Gal, CajunBear73, temporaryinsanity91, Eddy13, Sentinel103, Oreochema, pbow, Jimmy1201, levi2000a1, Linzerj, Reader101w, Tito-Mosquito, Anthony1l, and the ever faithful Katsumara. And leave a review, get a reply. Really! Just remember to log in so you don't accidentally leave a review as a guest, as I'm not known for my quick responses. But not to worry, Barkin will continue to give me extra homework until I shape up..._

* * *

WarRaptor smiled as he looked over at Grallx, now masquerading in the form of the Empress Warmonga.

"All right, Grallx. One final duty and your work for us will be complete. When we go on the air, all you need do is agree that Drakken and WarShego are behind the plot to usurp power, and that Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable set the explosive device that has left you permanently crippled. And that due to your injuries, you are temporarily stepping down as Empress and turning over all of your Imperial duties to me, as the new Emperor."

He continued with a snicker, "But the Empress of course will later conveniently succumb to her wounds, leaving me permanently in control of all Lorwardia."

Grallx frowned back, "Yes, but the _real _Empress is still very much at large, along with everyone else you've just mentioned, correct?"

The grinning Lorwardian waved a dismissive hand at the shapeshifter. "You need not concern yourself about that. Now that Warmonga's essence resides within the human cheerleader Bonnie Rockwaller, she will have an extremely difficult time convincing anyone of her true identity. But even if she does, she cannot possibly remain the Empress and fulfill her duties in that pitifully tiny form. And if they are discovered before I can have them recaptured, I'll simply blame their unusual switch as a failed attempt to save the Empress' life, and have her quietly disposed of, along with that irritating cheerleader."

Still unconvinced, Grallx retorted, "But what if they use the brain-switch device to restore themselves back into their true forms?"

"Impossible. I disabled a critical part which will fracture immediately if the device is moved, and its replacement can only be found back on Earth. Besides, we have the device's power cables, without which the machine cannot function. And I've already checked our local Lorwardian Smarty-Mart, and those particular cables are out of stock at the moment. A back order will take weeks if not months to fulfill, which means they'll all be forced to travel back to that backwater dustball of a planet, where they'll have several surprises waiting for them. And my _gifts_ to both them and humankind will keep them all out of our hair for good."

He graced Grallx with a smarmy smile. "As you've discovered, I always have a Plan B ready in case my original ploy should hit a snag."

Grallx growled back, "Yes, which has happened more than once, WarRaptor. I do not underestimate Dr. Drakken's ability to repair the unit somehow and cobble together the necessary connections, nor do I wish to be discovered impersonating the Empress. It would undoubtedly mean my painful execution at the hands of whatever governing powers should gain the upper hand here, and even if I should somehow miraculously escape, my home planet would banish me forever. I would be left to wander the galaxy as a fugitive for the remainder of my days."

WarRaptor spoke soothingly back, "I promise you Grallx, that will not happen. All it will take is a few moments, a few words, and then we're both home free. Parfa will remain forever independent, just as I promised. And you will be a very, very rich Parfan, honored as a hero for the remainder of your life."

He flashed the Parfan a wolfish grin as he thought to himself, "_Which will not last much longer than this broadcast, of course. And without any witnesses to Warmonga's apparent demise, my takeover shall then be complete..._"

There was a sudden knock at the door, and a voice spoke. "Two minutes until airtime, WarRaptor."

WarRaptor rubbed his hands together in glee. "Showtime, Grallx. Or should I say, _Warmonga?_ Are you ready?"

The Parfan laconically replied, "As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose."

* * *

Outside the studio, Kim and Shego rushed around the corner of the building only to find it completely surrounded by a company of one hundred heavily armed members of the Lorwardian Guard. Kim grabbed Shego and hastily raced back around the corner before they could be spotted.

"Whoa. Looks like WarRaptor isn't taking any chances. So I guess we're going to have to do this the hard way."

Shego grinned back fiercely as she instantly powered up her plasma. "Still sounds good to me, Kimmie. A little workout to relieve this evening's stress is just what the doctor ordered. Especially when it means finally getting to kick that bastard's sorry ass."

Kim returned her smile and began glowing deep blue with super strength, then began coruscating bright red as she began to replicate herself. Fifty identical Kims spoke in unison, "On my mark, Shego."

But before they could charge back around the corner for their full frontal assault, Ron's gentle presence appeared in Kim's mind.

"_Or we could do it the easy way, KP." _

Kim huffed, "So the last minute, Ron. What did you have in mind? We don't have much time."

"_Well, start with one pound of Essential Ronness, add a generous dash of Mystical Monkey Mojo, heat under the spotlight of live TV and stir well. Serves two Lorwardians with their gooses cooked, well done._"

Kim cocked a curious eyebrow. "Uh, that's great, Ron. But now in English, please and thank you?"

Ron instantly sent her an mental image of what he had planned. She first looked intrigued, then skeptical.

"But are you sure you can pull it off, Ron? And from a distance? This isn't a cooking show, it's a live planetwide broadcast. And pardon the pun, but your plan could end up being a recipe for disaster."

"_Very funny, KP. I know it's taking a big chance,_ _but it could also easily nip everything right in the bud. So I think it's worth the risk, Kim. Just give me one minute. We'll both know right away if it works or not, and if it doesn't, I promise I'll call for the cavalry_."

Kim thought it over for another moment, then nodded her approval. "Okay, Ron. Go for it, and good luck."

"_Coolio! But first I'll need a little help from you. Since I'm not right there and you are, I need to use your mind as an anchor to project my own bon-diggity mind into the studio. Just close your eyes and relax_."

Shego had been looking on, hearing only half of the exchange. "So, Princess, what does the Ronster have in mind?"

As Kim closed her eyes, she replied, "Just keep your eyes on that public broadcast monitor across the street. If Warmonga declares WarRaptor her successor as the Emperor of Lorwardia, that's our cue to attack. But if what Ron has planned works, we'll have beaten him without lifting a finger."

Inside the studio, the broadcast had just begun. The bright spotlights shone down on the form of a widely grinning WarRaptor. And sitting next to him, an apparently injured but still very much alive Empress Warmonga.

"Attention, Lorwardia! This is WarRaptor, head of the Lorwardian Guard. The traitorous Great Blue and Warshego, along with Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable, have attempted to assassinate our glorious leader, the Empress Warmonga. As you can see, they have miserably failed in their foolish attempt. However, she has been seriously injured, and to maintain order and control over our magnificent planet, wishes to pass the reins of ultimate command over to me, at least temporarily."

He motioned toward the faux Empress, who slowly and imperiously rose to her full height before beginning to speak.

"I, Warmonga, mighty Empress of Lorwardia, hereby declare WarRaptor... _the true traitor!_ He has planned this entire coup in order to take over the planet!"

WarRaptor jumped back in surprise, shocked into speechlessness at the totally unexpected accusation, while the false Warmonga continued.

"Kim Possible and her friends are completely innocent! WarRaptor is to be shot on sight as the greatest villain in our entire..."

But Grallx's furious tirade was instantly cut short by a furious shout of anger from WarRaptor, followed by several shots from his deadly blaster.

WarRaptor bellowed, "You fool! What have you done?"

But he suddenly realized what he himself had just done. He had just apparently murdered the Empress. On live TV. And in full view of an audience consisting of the entire planet.

"Oh, frackle..."

He quickly dashed out the back door to the screams of the studio technicians and staff.

Kim could hardly believe that Ron's plan had worked. "Way to go, Ron! That was amazing!"

But a chagrined Ron meekly replied, "_Uh, thanks KP, but it wasn't me. As soon as I tried to enter Grallx's mind, that wrongsick mental raster kicked in. WarRaptor must have brought along a portable mental jamming thingy to make sure that what I just tried wouldn't work._"

Kim's mouth dropped open as she suddenly realized what had just happened.

"You mean..."

"_Yup. For whatever reason, Grallx turned the tables on WarRaptor at the last minute. But now that WarRaptor's been discredited in front of all Lorwardia, I think we're all off the hook_."

"Wow, Ron! If that's not just completely amazing, I don't know what is. And this means we're all totally exonerated!"

He smugly replied, "_Yeah, and not guilty, too_!"

With a roll her eyes she turned to Shego. "Well, it looks like Grallx had a last moment change of heart."

Shego nodded. "Yeah, I saw. And it looks like it cost him his life, too. But now we better grab WarRaptor before he gets away."

Shego and the multitude of Kims casually marched around the corner, where they were met by several surprised looks from the Lorwardian Guard, who had also just witnessed the incredible event.

Kim announced, "All right, everyone. Let us through so we can arrest the true ringleader of this whole crazy mess."

But a nervous guard with an itchy trigger finger accidentally let off a shot with his power lance. Then all hell broke loose as everyone began firing away in all directions.

Shego griped, "Yeah, I thought this might be too good to be true."

She began laying down a cover fire of intensely concentrated plasma as fifty Kims charged into the attack, glowing in alternating shades of red, blue and green. And just like the year before, the Lorwardians barely knew what hit them. A minute later and it was all over, the entire company of barely conscious soldiers groaning in pain on the ground.

"Thanks Shego. Now it's time to go for the king, now that all the pawns are taken care of."

Shego grinned, "Roger that, Kim. It's finally checkmate for WarRaptor and his cronies. This'll teach 'em to try and take over my cupcake company!"

Kim gave her an incredulous look.

Shego flashed her a weak smile. "Oh, uh, and that coup d'etat thing too..."

But as they raced inside, WarRaptor had already made his escape. The dying body of Grallx lay bleeding on the floor, still desperately trying to maintain his assumed form of Warmonga. He weakly motioned toward the two women who quickly knelt down beside him.

Kim tried to comfort him. "Hold on, Grallx. Medics are on their way."

He painfully shook his head as he gasped his final breaths. "No time... need to explain... knew he would have killed me anyway... couldn't risk keeping me alive with what I know... so what I did was for Parfa... and ultimately for Earth and Lorwardia as well... please tell Warmonga and Camille... I'm sorry... so sorry..."

His confession complete, his eyes closed one last time. And as he died, he made his final transformation back into his true Parfan form. But a trace of a smile remained on his face, knowing that even in death he had finally outsmarted WarRaptor.

Kim stood up and softly pronounced his epitaph. "Wow. At least he died knowing that he'd finally done the right thing."

Shego likewise stood up and growled at the stage crew, "Hey, these cameras still rolling?"

Still in shock after what had just transpired, they fearfully nodded back in the affirmative.

"Well, keep 'em on!"

She turned to the cameras and announced, "Attention Lorwardia, this is WarShego. WarRaptor is to be arrested immediately as a traitor. If he resists, just shoot him. The real Warmonga is still alive and will make an official announcement as soon as possible from her, uh, undisclosed location."

The stage crew breathed a sigh of relief as they realized they'd all be living to see another day. Confident that Shego's announcement was now complete, one videotech raised a cue card.

Shego squinted as she read the script. "And now back to our regularly scheduled program, _As the World Burns_."

As the "On the Air" sign faded away, a voice was heard from the rear of the studio. "That's a wrap, Shego, baby! Good work! Our ratings are probably through the roof by now!"

Shego looked askance at the diminutive Lorwardian news director. "Hey, aren't you the moron who directed that commercial Drakken and I were in a few weeks ago?"

"One in the same, sweetheart. Say, you've got some real star quality there. With stage presence like that, you could probably land a lead role on my new soap opera in nothing flat!"

Kim snorted in laughter as Shego sneered back, "Oh, really? Talk to the hand."

Shego graced the director in typical fashion, treating him to a generous ball of superheated plasma. As he frantically tried to put out the flames on his tunic, Shego turned back to Kim.

"C'mon, Kimmie. Let's find WarRaptor before this jerk signs you up for a supporting role as well."

* * *

In the meantime, Ron and Rufus were trying to make their way back toward the spaceport on foot, crossing through what looked like a public park of some kind.

Ron whined, "Wow, Rufus. At this rate we might even make it back to the Kepler by sunup."

Rufus responded with a soft moan, but immediately perked up as he excitedly began to chitter and point toward a small vehicle.

"Hey, good idea, Rufus!" Ron quickly checked it out. "This thing reminds me of my old scooter!"

Ron climbed onto the ATV and hit the start button, and the vehicle instantly roared into life. He hit the throttle, but as it was only designed for gardening purposes and not for speed, their velocity was underwhelming to say the least.

"Ooh. And about as fast, too, little buddy. Well, I guess it beats walking."

Rufus nodded happily in agreement as the ATV putted along.

"Now if I only knew the best way to the spaceport. We know which general direction to go, but with all the power still off in the city, the street signs aren't working. I'm afraid we'll run into buildings and gorchy terrain if we just try going in a straight line."

"_And Lorwardians_."

Ron gritted his teeth. "Yeah, but we can take 'em if we have to."

"_True, but our friends can't. And we wouldn't want to endanger them further_."

"Ooh, good point. So, any bright ideas?"

"_Perhaps if we could reach one of our friends, they'd be able to provide us with the best directions_?"

"Great idea, but who?"

"_Let's just stretch out with our minds until we reach out and touch someone_."

"Now you sound like a phone company commercial, Rufus, but it's worth a try..."

Only a few moments later, Ron's mind touched another mind. A familiar mind.

"_Camille_?"

"_Ronnie! Are you okay_?"

"_Yeah, Rufus and I are copacetic. We're trying to make our way back to you guys at the spaceport_."

"_Well that's just poppin,' but there's like, a thousand Lorwardians between you and them. But I think I can get you through them, if we can just hook up_."

"_No problemo. I'm sensing that you're real close. In fact_..."

Ron opened his eyes to see Camille walking toward them in the moonlight.

"Ronnie! I'm so glad you're okay!"

"You too. So what are you doing out here?"

"Trying to find you and everyone else. James, Steve and the cheerleaders are back at the ship."

"Yeah, I know. We're heading back there to protect them until Kim and Shego can capture WarRaptor and wrap this sitch up. And we were right, he was behind everything, and soon the whole planet will know, if they don't know already."

"That's super! And you're almost there. Follow me!"

But no sooner had they proceeded a block than a troop of Lorwardians began marching toward them.

Ron whispered, "Uh, oh. Since we don't know which side these goons are on, we may have to fight."

He was about to activate his Mystical Monkey Power, when Camille hissed back, "You still have your mascot mask?"

Ron dug deep into his pocket. "Yeah, right here. But how's that going to..."

Camille cut him off. "Just put it on quick and follow my lead."

He did so just as the Lorwardians marched up. Their leader held up a hand to stop them.

"Halt! What are you two doing out so late? Don't you know martial law's been ordered?"

Camille had quickly morphed into her saucy Lorwardian teen persona, and answered them in a drunken slur.

"Of course, Ossifer! We're just celebrating that the real traitor's been found out, and our Empress is shtill alive!"

The soldier answered, "Yes, we've just heard the good news. But you both better get back home until all this settles down."

Ron quickly agreed. "Yes, sir, officer, sir!"

As the Lorwardian waved them on, he muttered under his breath, "Damn fool kids. No respect for authority these days. What's this planet coming to, anyway..."

Camille easily retraced a path back to the spaceport, and they arrived just as Dr. Drakken landed along with Bonnie and Warmonga.

Overjoyed at the happy reunion, the cheerleaders all ran up to Bonnie to give her a group hug, but stopped in their tracks when Warmonga's voice emanated from her body instead.

"Stop, humans! The Bonnie you seek is in Warmomga's body, over there."

They turned as one toward the blushing form of Warmonga, jaws open in amazement as Bonnie spoke. "Hi ladies. Yeah, it's me in here. But only until we can get back to Earth and fix the brain-switch machine that did this to us."

Tara was the first to reply. "Wow, Bonnie. I guess we won't be doing any cheer routines with you very soon, huh?"

All the girls giggled as Bonnie continued to blush ever deeper.

James interrupted with loud harrumph. "But thankfully everyone's all right. But we're still missing Kim and Shego."

Ron spoke up. "They're okay too, Mr. Dr. P. They both went after WarRaptor once he shot Grallx, who was masquerading as the Empress."

James replied, "Yes, we just saw that on the newsvid. But we still don't know how many of WarRaptor's cronies are still lurking about, or whose side the Lorwardian Guard is on. So we should stay put right here until we hear from Kim and Shego, or at least until Warmonga here can regain absolute control."

Drakken beamed back, "And I may have just the thing to help."

He dug into the trunk of his aircar and pulled out a large box. "This is one of my old inventions that I used once to fool Kim Possible into believing I was her brainy assistant, Wade. It worked perfectly at first, but as usual, that dirty little..."

James shot him a quick scowl before he could continue his rant.

"Uh, that is, that _brilliant _little world saver eventually saw through the illusion and foiled my plot. But now I can use this same technology to give Warmonga the ability to speak through her own form even while still residing within Bonnie's body."

As always, Warmonga was intrigued with Drakken's invention. "So, exactly how does your device work?"

"Well, first I need to scan your true Lorwardian form, now inhabited by Bonnie, then attach these sensors to _her _body, that is, the one _you _now inhabit. When hooked up through this special video system, each move you make will be virtually displayed on this video screen, but in your true form as the Empress Warmonga. And every word you speak will be spoken by your electronic avatar. You will both look and sound exactly like yourself. After that, all we need do is find a way to make your broadcast to the entire planet."

Warmonga smiled back him with a devilish look, which on Bonnie's face was quite unnerving. "Excellent! Then Warmonga shall announce to the planet that she is indeed alive, and put an end to WarRaptor's bizarre charade once and for all!"

She began marching down the field. "Follow me, everyone! Warmonga has the necessary broadcasting capability within her Imperial shuttle, using an emergency tie-in to Channel One that can be used to broadcast planetwide. Soon the world will once again hear the confident voice of their Empress!"

Ten minutes later all was prepared, and a connection was set up with Lorwardia's Channel One News.

The director cheerfully announced, "Okay, Warmonga baby, you're all set to go! We've preempted the Early Show just for your announcement!"

Warmonga hooded her eyes in warning as she growled back, "Call me _baby_ one more time, you cretin, and you will quickly find yourself at the business end of my blaster."

A few beads of sweat broke out on his forehead as he weakly smiled back. "Uh, yes, of course, your Highness. You'll be live in three... two... one..."

He gave her the high sign to begin.

"Attention Lorwardia! This is Empress Warmonga. WarRaptor has attempted a coup by first faking my death, and then by impersonating me in order to usurp complete control of our illustrious planet. He has failed miserably, along with his cohorts Battlefox and Wolfenstrike. Warmonga joyfully places a reward of 1 million quarfs each for their capture, dead or alive."

Her smile widened into a wolfish grin. "Preferably dead, but please ensure you have irrefutable proof of the deed before trying to collect your reward."

She majestically continued, "The Great Blue and WarShego, along with Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable, are entirely innocent of the accusations that WarRaptor has leveled against them. They are to be given any and all assistance as they attempt bring these criminals to justice. And anyone _not _giving them their full cooperation will answer to me, _personally_. So declares Warmonga, Empress of Lorwardia. I will broadcast again soon, my loyal subjects, once these evildoers have been captured and full communications have been restored planetwide."

She looked over at Drakken and nodded, indicating she was finished. Almost immediately, a signal from the High Command began urgently beeping for her attention.

"Warmonga, this is Battlesquirrel of the 5th Guards Regimental Defense Unit. My Empress, we pledge to you our complete and total loyalty. But I wish to inform you that WarRaptor and the other traitors have just left the planet on one of our battlecruisers and are heading out into deep space."

Warmonga cursed under her breath and turned to her human companions. "Everyone strap yourselves in and prepare for takeoff. We must begin pursuit immediately!"

James interrupted, "Whoa, slow down there, Warmonga! Shouldn't we wait until Kim and Shego can join us?"

She brusquely continued, "There is no time. They are both quite resourceful, and will certainly be able to swiftly locate a ship to join us in glorious pursuit."

She sat down at the controls and began furiously flipping switches as she commenced her ship's pre-flight warm up. Everyone raced for their seats and strapped themselves in just as she hit the launch button. With a thunderous roar, the shuttle leapt into the sky, leaving a terrific plume of smoke behind it. The chase was on.

Drakken grunted in pain as the force of acceleration relentlessly pushed him back into his seat. "Ooh, I had forgotten how much I hate space travel..."

As the ship continued to accelerate into orbit, Ron held on for dear life as he mentally tried to reach Kim.

"_Whoa-ho-ho! Kim! WarRaptor and his cronies have just taken off in a battlecruiser. We're all on Warmonga's shuttle and chasing him into orbit!_"

Kim complained, "_What, without me and Shego? Thanks terrifically for waiting, Ron."_

"_Sorry, KP. Warmonga insisted. And you don't say no the the Empress without having a real good reason, and probably with your powers on maximum overdrive to boot_."

Realizing it wasn't Ron's fault, Kim backpedaled. "_Oops, _s_orry for harshing, Ron. But how are we going to catch up with you guys?_"

"_What about the Kepler? It needs refueling, and my quickie mouth foam repair job needs something a little more permanenty, but it's still probably the fastest ship available_. _You and Shego should be able to fix and fly it no sweat_."

"_I hope so, Ron. Since that's our best shot, we'll check it out as soon as we get to the spaceport."_

Kim and Shego quickly commandeered an aircar, wasting no time in getting back to the Kepler. As soon as they landed, Shego grabbed a groundtech by the collar and commanded, "Fill 'er up. And don't bother checking the oil or cleaning the windshields, we're in kind of a hurry."

Kim swiftly checked out the interior damage. "It actually doesn't look too bad from in here, Shego. I'm going to check what the hull looks like outside."

In less than a minute, Shego's wrist comm beeped as Kim announced, "It looks a little worse out here, but nothing we can't fix with some well-focused plasma."

"Roger that Kimmie. You want to do the honors out there while I seal it from the inside?"

"Please and thank you, Shego."

Within ten minutes the task was complete. The breach was now fully sealed and impervious to the cold hard vacuum of space. However, as soon as Kim entered the Kepler, she crinkled her nose up in disgust.

"Yuck! Shego, what's that awful smell? It reminds me of the time my mom accidentally burned her banana nut bread in the oven."

"Pretty close, Cupcake. It turns out that my plasma doesn't react too well with Ron's banana foam. I'll turn on the blowers to air out the place. I've already started the pre-flight check so we can take off as soon as the groundtechs have finished refueling."

The computer then began to speak. "All systems nominal, Kim. And good job on your repairs, you two. Pressure tests confirm 100% hull integrity."

Kim happily responded, "Sadie! I didn't realize Dad had installed you on the Kepler. Great to have you as our computer interface!"

"Thanks, Kim. And good news, the groundtechs have just finished refueling."

Kim looked out the porthole just as a Lorwardian removed the fuel hose. He gave her a friendly high sign that the fueling was complete.

"Great! So Warmonga only has about a twenty minute head start on us, and she's just a few minutes behind WarRaptor. I just hope we can all finally catch up with those criminals. And hopefully once Ron gets close enough, he can insinuate himself into WarRaptor's mind and get him to turn his ship around."

Shego though wasn't quite as sanguine. "Yeah, but that's only if he doesn't have his portable thought dampener with him, or else all bets are off. Let's check."

She flipped on the radio. "Kepler to Imperial Shuttle, do you copy?"

Warmonga instantly responded. "We read you, Warshego. We are in pursuit of WarRaptor. Now activating homing beacon so that you may follow us. He has taken his ship out of the plane of the ecliptic in order to make a faster jump to lightspeed. A dangerous and desperate move, but if he succeeds, he will make a clean escape."

Kim frantically asked, "Ron, can you use your mind powers to stop him?"

"Negatory, Kim. I just tried, but he's got that gorchy brainwave scrambler with him."

Still trying to think of a solution, she queried the Empress. "Warmonga, does your ship have any weapons?"

"Yes, but they are not powerful enough to breach the shields of a Lorwardian battlecruiser. But he cannot outrun us, so once we know his destination, Warmonga will be able to vector in enough warships to destroy him."

"Or else close enough for Ron and I to board his ship. Then we'll take it apart with our bare hands if we have to."

She added with a growl, "Literally!"

Shego announced, "That's a big 10-4, Kimmie. All right, here we go!"

She punched the controls, and the Kepler furiously roared off the launch pad to join in the pursuit.

Warmonga smiled as WarRaptor's battlecruiser appeared in the distance. She flipped a switch on her comm panel, changing the frequency to a military one.

"Attention WarRaptor! This is Empress Warmonga. You know, the real one? You are to surrender immediately or be destroyed. This will be your only warning."

The laughing image of WarRaptor appeared on the screen as he replied with a cackle, "I think not, Empress. We both know that your shuttle's weapons aren't strong enough to breach my shields. And you may have foiled my plans temporarily, but soon the galaxy will learn of Earth's total and complete destruction."

James and Steve exchanged an uncomfortable look as WarRaptor continued his monologue.

"And fear not, revenge will ultimately belong to me and to Lorwardia, but not to you. Once I prove my power in destroying an enemy that you have failed to vanquish not once, but twice, Lorwardia will unite under the banner of a new ruler: Emperor WarRaptor! Then we shall renew our crusade to subjugate the entire galaxy!"

Warmonga shot back, "You fool! The entire planet has already witnessed you fire on one who apparently was your Empress! What personal insanity has deluded you into believing that they will now turn and follow _you_?"

"Very simple, your Highness. I will merely claim to have discovered that Grallx was behind the plot, and that I only killed an alien pretender to the throne, saving Lorwardia from an ancient enemy."

Warmonga growled back, "You are a liar from a family of liars, WarRaptor! By the beard of Warhafter, I swear that you shall never succeed, neither on Lorwardia or on Earth. Warmonga shall hunt you down to the very ends of the galaxy!"

He barked out in laughter as he responded, "Go ahead and try, your _Royal Lowness_. You shall certainly find that task greatly hindered by your present measly human form. And since the only replacement parts to your precious brain-switch machine are presently on Earth, I certainly hope you will enjoy that body permanently, as that intolerable world shall be blasted into virtual rubble in only a matter of days."

Enraged, Bonnie yelled out, "Then I'll be stuck like this _too_? If that happens, I'll hunt you down and kill you _myself_, WarRaffle!"

WarRaptor actually looked concerned over Bonnie's fierce threat. But as the verbal standoff continued between the two Lorwardians, Ron suddenly felt an unexpected but familiar presence coalesce within his mind.

"_Ron-san_..."

He immediately perked up, thankful for the pleasant distraction. "_Hey, Yori Girl! How're ya doin'? All recovered from your little trip on the astral plane?_"

But he instantly felt a wave of fear from her wash over his mind, laced with deep concern.

"_Yes, Ron-san. But terrible events have begun to unfold here. The attack on Earth that I foresaw has now become a reality. Several large asteroids are headed toward us at incredible speed. I fear that there is nothing on Earth that can stop them_."

Ron blanched at the news. "_Oh, Fuji! How long do we have?_"

"_Perhaps ten days at most. We are most desperate for you and Kim-chan to return at once and prevent disaster from overtaking us, else there be nothing left for you to return home to. Please hurry, Ron-san._"

"_Don't worry, Yori. We're get there as quickly as we can, I promise_."

As Yori's presence faded, he began to focus again on Kim. She smiled, enjoying the pleasant feeling of Ron's mind within hers.

"_Hey, Ron. We're all repaired now and just took off. We should be rendezvousing with you shortly. What's the sitch?_"

But his reply was anything but pleasant. "_Kim, real bad news. We've got one bon-diggity emergency here. Yori just contacted me, and Earth is being targeted by a swarm of huge asteroids. They're hauling major butt, and the first one will hit only ten days from now._"

They immediately recalled the terrible memory of Yori's premonition of a devastated planet.

"_That's it, Ron! Asteroids would easily account for the total destruction in Yori's vision! But can we make it back to Earth in time to stop them?_"

Ron convulsively gulped in fear. "_Or can we even stop them at all? Together we can easily clobber a few hundred Lorwardians no problemo, but stopping a swarm of wrongsick asteroids_?"

Kim broke out in a cold sweat at the thought. "_I don't know, Ron. But one thing's for sure, we're going to try our best to do just that. Earth is counting on us._"

Suddenly, the radio crackled to life. Sadie announced, "Incoming message from Earth, Kim. Top priority."

The viewscreen wavered, and the image of Dr. Director appeared. Behind her, red warning lights were rapidly blinking, garishly illuminating her face with their continual strobing. Her voice was steady, but the lines on her face revealed the incredible stress that she was currently under.

"Kim, Global Justice is currently at Code Double Red. Observatories in Middleton have just discovered a group of five incoming asteroids of steadily increasing size, from 10 to 100 kilometers wide, heading directly toward Earth. The first one will strike us in just over nine days, with each additional asteroid hitting us at approximately 12 hour intervals."

"Yes, I just found that out, Dr. Director."

Betty raised a curious eyebrow, wondering how in the world Kim could possibly have known about the attack.

Kim continued, "What are Earth's current defenses against an attack of this type?"

"Unfortunately, practically none. We can't even _begin_ to defend ourselves against such an assault. Scientists are studying the possibility of launching nuclear weapons to try to deflect or destroy them, but due to the asteroid's number, size and speed, they hold out little hope."

"And I hate to ask, but what are our chances of survival if they _do _hit?"

"If even one hits, we'd be facing global devastation, rating a 10 on the Torino scale. The asteroid that created the Chicxulub crater in Mexico 65 million years ago was sufficient to trigger the mass extinction of much of life on Earth, particularly the dinosaurs. But if more than one hits, the destruction would be unimaginably horrific, and our chances of survival would be virtually zero. And there are _five_ of them incoming, Kim. We're looking at the virtual destruction of all life on Earth."

Kim was shocked into speechlessness as Betty continued.

"The President is preparing to make an announcement to the United Nations in one hour. But first he wanted me to contact you. You've saved the world many times over, Kim. He wants to know if we can count on you to do it again."

Kim's mouth hung open as the enormity of the challenge sunk in. She swallowed hard, then cautiously began her reply.

"I'd love to say 'no big,' Dr. Director. But this is pretty spankin' humongous. I can only only promise that Ron and I will do our utmost to save the Earth and prevent this wrongsick disaster from happening."

Dr. Director let out a small sigh. "That's exactly what I told him. I know you've done the impossible before, Kim. But now we're asking you to do the seemingly improbable."

Kim smiled back grimly. "Well, nothing's impossible for a Possible, Dr. Director. I just hope that doesn't become my epitaph, and the Earth's as well."

"Thank you, Kim. The world awaits. Dr. Director, out."

As Betty signed off, Kim looked blankly out of the front viewport. Warmonga's Imperial shuttle had just appeared ahead as a tiny point of light.

Shego mumbled, "Well, Kim. It looks like Earth's in for a world of trouble."

Kim whispered back, "No kidding."

Back on the Imperial shuttle, James suddenly pointed out of the canopy. "Warmonga, look!"

A rainbow-colored line streaked across the blackness of space, disappearing with a brilliant flash of light. Warmonga adjusted her sensors and made some quick calculations. She looked up with a frown as she flipped on her comm unit.

"Warshego, I've determined WarRaptor's direction. He is heading directly for... Earth."

A chill went down Ron's spine. "_Kim_..."

"_I heard, Ron. So it looks like we're all heading back to Earth for one final showdown. And my guess is that WarRaptor will be riding shotgun over those asteroids as he tries to fly them straight into our planet. Somehow we've got to stop him, or it's the end of everything_."

"_Roger that, KP. Warmonga's about to fire up the hyperlight drive in pursuit, so we'll be out of mental contact until we get back to Earth. But we'll keep in touch via Warmonga's comm channel. Good luck, Kim_."

She sent back a final hopeful wish herself. "_Good luck to you too, Ron. I love you_…"

But as his presence faded from her mind, she wondered how long it would really be until she saw him once again.

Her reverie was broken by Shego's command. "Stand by for hyperlight, Kim. And cross your fingers, this might get a little bumpy."

A moment later, the Kepler IV shot into translight speed, leaving a rainbow-colored trail behind them.

"Fingers crossed, Shego. For us and the whole spankin' planet..."

_**TBC...**_


	19. Hope Deferred

_Well, after another long break, and that little distraction yesterday, it's time to get back to the real world. Which hopefully won't get totally obliterated by some heavenly bodies, and hopefully saved by a few(!). But I digress… Thanks as always to those who've read and especially who've reviewed the last chapter: CajunBear73, Bookworm Gal, Sentinel103, Jimmy1201, Katsumara, levi2000a1, Eddy13, Oreochema, Linzerj, pbow, Reader101w and Tito-Mosquito._

_Better buckle yourselves in and hold on to your space helmets, everyone: this ride's gonna get a little rough…_

* * *

Upon discovering that five huge asteroids were heading toward them, Earth immediately descended into a planet-wide panic. Headlines blazed out their doomsday predictions as the world's scientists desperately tried to think of something, anything, that could avert the impending planetary disaster.

The Middleton Evening News began, its urgent background music accompanying the somber visage of its lead news anchor. "This is Tricia Lipowski bringing you this special report on the impending asteroid strike. We now go live to the United Nations Building in New York City, where the world council has just ended an emergency meeting."

A young blond reporter appeared on the screen. "This is Felicia Tripowski reporting from New York. I'm now speaking with the Secretary General of the UN, Moon-Ki See, and his assistant, Moon-Ki Doo. Mr. Secretary, what decisions have you reached in dealing with this crisis? Is there any advice you can give to our viewers?"

He made a sour face and replied, "Bend over and kiss goodbye to your…"

Quickly jerking the microphone away, the reporter blurted, "And there you have it! Back to you, Tricia."

Looking a bit startled, Tricia muttered, "Uh, thank you for that update, Felicia. But right now the burning question on the lips of billions is, where are you, Kim Possible? If you can hear us, please help us once again in our time of greatest need. You may be Earth's only hope…"

* * *

An emergency meeting of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff was presently underway to see what, if anything, could be done.

The Chairman began, "General Sims, can you give us an update?"

"Yes, sir. We're currently operating under a Shoemaker-Levy-9-slash-Deep-Impact scenario, and we're currently exploring every possible option to prevent those asteroids from striking the planet."

"And those are?"

"Our first option is to detonate a nuclear device close enough to the first asteroid to deflect it out of our path."

"And what's the likelihood there?"

General Sims heaved a small sigh. "Well, as the saying goes, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that much of our nuclear missile arsenal would barely make it into Earth orbit, let alone millions of miles into space. The good news is that we actually do have several missiles capable of reaching escape velocity, thanks to a crash program in rocketry instituted by Dr. James Possible soon after the first Lorwardian attack."

"And just how many missiles is that, General?"

He let out a self-conscious little laugh. "Uh, well, just two. And there's also a trade-off between range and payload. The longer the range and faster the speed we attempt, the lighter the payload will have to be. So our plan is to use the first rocket at its maximum projected range to intercept the first asteroid with the largest allowable payload, and see if that can't at least deflect it somewhat. We'll then use the second one to target it with a heavier, more powerful multiple warhead package much closer to Earth."

"But will that stop it?"

The General responded with a dry laugh. "Son, there's no way to stop an asteroid that's several miles wide with just a nuke. As powerful as they are, they're only a pop gun in comparison to those babies out there. At best, we'll try and deflect its course so that it misses us completely, or at worst, doesn't strike us head on."

"But that's only the first asteroid! What about the other four?"

General Sims fixed him with a withering stare. "May I remind the Chairman that these are only fallback plans made out of sheer desperation? The very best we can hope for is to give Kim Possible enough time to return to Earth and deal with these space rocks in her own way."

"Then we need to give her as much time and help as possible to complete her mission to save us. Have you considered using captured Lorwardian technology against the asteroids? Didn't Warmonga blow up Pluto in a fit of pique about a year ago?"

The general frowned as he continued. "Yes, that's true, and we've considered that. But that particular weapon only reduced Pluto to a huge pile of space rubble. It didn't vaporize the entire planet, which is what we'd actually need to do to those asteroids. Our scientists postulate that if we were able to coordinate every single plasma disruptor we've captured into a single array, and concentrate it into a single discharge, that might vaporize an incoming meteor as big as Manhattan."

The chairman excitedly rubbed his hands together. "Excellent! Now we're talking! So, how soon can it be ready?"

The general's frown deepened. "Four to six weeks at best. And that's only if we had a power source large enough to operate it, which we don't. It's been estimated that we'd need 1.21 terawatts of energy for a sustained burst of 15 seconds to destroy the first asteroid, but that's greater than the energy of the entire North American power grid at present. And the Environmental Protection Agency immediately nixed the idea when they found out that a plasma discharge of that magnitude would totally ionize the atmosphere, causing massive weather changes and communication disruptions. When I reminded them of the destruction an actual asteroid strike would cause, they hung up on me."

The Chairman mumbled, "Oh, uh, never mind then. Sorry I asked."

"And even if we could find the power to operate the array, that would only help us deal with the first two asteroids, since they're only five to ten miles wide. But the other three are twenty-five, fifty and one hundred kilometers in diameter. Using a weapon like that against any of the others would merely change one gigantic projectile into thousands of smaller ones. It would be like getting hit by a shotgun blast instead of an artillery shell. At point blank range, both are going to kill you. It's just that the buckshot would just make your death a lot more lingering and painful."

The Chairman looked sullenly back at the General. "All right then. You mentioned several options. What are the others?"

"Unfortunately, only one. A few years ago, Dr. Justine Flanner of the Middleton Institute of Technology developed a device called the Kinematic Continuum Disruptor, ironically as a high school science project. Kim Possible was able to use a larger version of it to take out several enemy battlecruisers during the second Lorwardian attack last year. She's now working on increasing the size of its electronic aperture from a half mile to its theoretical limit."

"And what size is that?"

"Ten miles. Just large enough to swallow the second asteroid. But it needs to be fired from orbit. Fortunately, the KCD will just fit inside a space shuttle, and NASA has promised that the Atlantis will be prepared for an emergency launch within one week."

"Well, that's maybe two down, with three to go. Can anything possibly be done about them?"

"Nothing, sir, except pray that Kim Possible can pull one huge honkin' rabbit out of her hat, or else the Earth is doomed. She's saved the world before many times over, and now we need her to save it again. Literally."

The phone in front of the general began to buzz. "Ah, this must be news from our scientist in Middleton." He pushed a button placing the call on the speakerphone. "This is General Sims."

An excited and unsteady voice answered, "This is Professor Chen at the Middleton Observatory. General, I've just made some rather startling discoveries regarding those asteroids."

His voice dripping with sarcasm, the general replied, "Well, Professor, I'm sure your discoveries are absolutely fascinating, but I'm really more interested in how we can stop them before they wipe out all life on Earth."

The professor anxiously continued, ignoring the jab. "I am too, General, but we may have a better idea now of how this all came about. Upon closer analysis of Mars, it appears that the moons of Phobos and Deimos are, well, missing."

The general's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Missing? How?"

"Well, perhaps missing isn't exactly the right word. More precisely, missing from where they're supposed to be, which is orbiting around Mars."

The general growled, "Professor, would you please get to the point?"

"Yes, of course." He swallowed hard before continuing.

"The two moons of Mars are the first two asteroids heading toward us. Photographic analysis has just confirmed this. We suspect that some kind of immense artificial gravity field has ripped them out of Mars orbit and hurled them toward us, along with the three larger ones. Only an unimaginably powerful energy source could do that, but we've picked up unusually strong power readings emanating from Mars that could account for this."

"How strong?"

"Strong enough to rip any known asteroid and fling it at us like a humongous billiard ball. And those unique power signatures bear a strong resemblance to those we picked up during the Second Lorwardian Invasion just last year.

"So this is definitely a Lorwardian attack, then?"

"I can't state that as a 100% certainty, but the chances are excellent that the Lorwardians are somehow behind it."

General Sims scratched his chin as he tried to surmise the reason. "But why? Relations with them have been excellent since the Earth/Lorwardian Accords were signed, exactly one year ago now."

"True, but we've received some reports from Ambassador Possible that indicate that a renegade Lorwardian may be behind this attack, and she's making her way back to Earth as quickly as possible in order to stop it."

The Chairman spoke up. "Well, if there's some kind of gravity weapon on Mars, how about mounting a space mission to either capture or destroy it? Maybe we could send in the Marines, or the Navy Seals?"

General Sims replied, "That would be an excellent idea, if we only had a ship that could make the trip quickly enough. But the only ships capable of doing that would be either Lorwardian, or perhaps one of the saucers belonging to our Area 51 friends from the Greater Magellanic Cloud. Unfortunately, the entire Lorwardian fleet has recently been busy transporting alien spectators to the interstellar games, and our own alien friends are working overtime as peacekeepers between the Lorwardians and their former conquests. There are no ships within a parsec of Earth that could get here in time, other than those already on the way: Warmonga's Imperial shuttle and Dr. Possible's Kepler IV spacecraft."

The Chairman sighed heavily. "It sounds like whoever planned this knew exactly when to attack in order to ensure that there would be no possible way to stop them."

"Or to allow us to evacuate anyone off the planet, either. Other than those who are on their way back presently, every human alive is now living under a death sentence."

The Chairman's voice trembled as he intoned, "General, do you understand what you're saying? This is the end of civilization as we know it!"

"Yes, sir. Unless Kim Possible can somehow stop those asteroids. Without her help, we're all dead in less than a week."

* * *

Shego glowered out of the front viewscreen of the Kepler IV. Multicolored star trails continued to fly by, but as beautiful as they were, she paid them scant attention. Her attention was focused on the Lorwardian battlecruiser directly ahead of them as it continued to make a beeline toward Earth. Off to starboard, Warmonga's Imperial shuttle was likewise in hot pursuit.

"Well, Kimmie, any bright ideas how we're going to stop WarRaptor before he makes it back to Earth? I'm sure he'll want to escort those asteroids smack dab into Terra Firma."

Kim growled, "Not yet, but I haven't given up. I know that Warmonga said that our plasma weapons won't work in hyperspace, but if we can somehow beat him back home, maybe between our two ships we can stop him somehow."

Her scowl softened into a look of near despair. "But I'm more worried about those asteroids. I may be the girl who can do anything, but I'm not Supergirl. I can't just fly into space and singlehandedly alter the course of a miles-wide asteroid, let alone one a hundred times as massive."

"Yeah, and there are five of them out there. Four is my limit."

Kim flashed a grim smile. "Thanks for reminding me."

Suddenly she brightened up as an idea struck her. "But maybe if I replicated myself to the max and used all my plasma power in a single burst?"

Shego finished Kim's thought. "Yeah, you could probably take a pretty good chunk out of one of them, and you might even slow it down a little, but stopping it in its tracks? Dream on, Cupcake."

Not willing to give up quite that easily, Kim addressed the computer. "Sadie, can you extrapolate how much of my plasma energy would be needed to destroy those asteroids?"

The sounds of a thousand relays began clicking as Sadie made the computations. "In order to vaporize the first asteroid, you'd need a thousand Kim Possibles firing steadily for exactly three weeks, two days and twelve minutes."

Shego snarked, "Wow, that quick? And only a thousand of you? Hey, I'm impressed. Given enough time, maybe you could change the course of mighty rivers, or leap tall buildings with a single bound."

Kim's anger began to rise, but she wisely failed to take Shego's bait. "Thanks so _very_ much for the props, Shego, but you know as well as I do that replicating myself a thousand times just isn't possible. Even a hundred times is out of the question. And we don't have three weeks, we only have one."

As she continued to wrack her brain for an answer, her mind flashed back to when she was a small child. She was frustrated by a simple math problem in the first grade, and was nearly in tears. But her father warmly encouraged her, and she was finally able to solve the problem. She never forgot what he told her then.

"_See,_ _Kimmie-cub? Nothing is ever impossible for a Possible_."

She smiled at the memory. "But if nothing is impossible for a Possible, that may go for my dad as well."

Kim flipped on the intership comm link, and Warmonga immediately appeared. "Yes, Great Red? How may Warmonga be of assistance?"

Kim smiled inwardly at the irony of seeing the face of Bonnie utter those words.

"Actually, could I speak with my father?"

James answered, "Right here, Kimmie-cub."

She winced at the pet name as she asked, "Dad, are there any spankin' super secret projects you were working on back on Earth that could help us?"

"Sorry Kimmie. I only had time to work on some long range rockets up until the time we signed the Earth/Lorwardian Accords, and I've been working on the Kepler IV almost exclusively ever since."

She exhaled a tiny sigh. "Thanks, Dad. Just thought I'd ask. But there's got to be something we can do?"

Ron piped up, "Well, what about blasting those asteroids like Warmonga did with Pluto? If we can somehow capture WarRaptor's battlecruiser, that would give us some totally coolio firepower. And if you and Shego could add your plasma powers into the equation, then…"

But James was quick to caution, "Whoa there, Ronald. We need to guarantee absolute destruction of all five of those asteroids. We can't allow anything over 100 meters to enter Earth's atmosphere, or else it won't completely burn up before impacting the surface. All it would take would be one 350 meter wide asteroid hit into the ocean to create a tsunami 100 feet high, wiping out anyone within 20 miles of a coast. A chunk 1000 meters wide would be enough to cause a permanent global winter, guaranteeing the world a slow, lingering demise. And anything larger than that, well…"

Kim pleaded, "But we can't just stand idly by and do nothing, can we?"

Shego chose that moment to chime in. "Excuse me, but aren't we going to have to do something about WarRaptor first? He's going to do everything he can to prevent us from stopping those asteroids in the first place. And he'll be prepared for any tricks we may have up our sleeves to board his ship, which outguns Warmonga's at the moment."

James confidently spoke up again. "But not the Kepler IV, Shego."

Kim sounded hopeful. "Dad? What do you mean?"

"Kimmie, I wanted to make sure this version of the Kepler could stand up to anything that the Lorwardians could throw at us, just in case. Forewarned is forearmed, and an ounce of prevention cures all that ails you."

Kim grinned at her father's mixed metaphors. "Well, it looks like you were right on the money then, Dad. So what's our weaponage?"

James voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "Well, besides the Kinematic Continuum Disruptor, you've got double the plasma firepower of your average Lorwardian battlecruiser. More than a match for poor WarRaptor and his henchmen. And as a special surprise, you even have an operational model of the Neutronaliser!"

"You mean that top secret weapon that Dr. Drakken was trying to steal from the army?"

In the background, Drakken griped, "Don't remind me, Kimberly Ann…"

This of course brought a smile to Shego's face. "So tell us, James, has anyone ever figured out what that thing actually does?"

James gave her a sheepish look. "Well, quite frankly, I don't know. General Sims said he could tell me, but then he'd have to kill me." He began to pale. "I… I think he was serious."

Kim choked back a laugh. "Well, I'm sure that Sadie could tell us. So, Sadie…"

But Sadie quickly replied, "That will have to wait, Kim. Priority One message coming in from Earth. It's Dr. Director."

"Stand by, Dad."

She quickly changed the channel, and the head of Global Justice appeared on the screen. The combination of emergency lighting and her eye patch gave her features a terrifying look. "Kim Possible, do you read?"

Kim nodded in the affirmative. "Yes, Dr. Director. You're coming in loud and clear."

"Very good. We've just received new intel that some kind of gravitic weapon was used to launch these asteroids at Earth. The power signature has been confirmed as Lorwardian, and we believe this weapon is located somewhere on Mars."

"Well, that would explain the close call my dad had with an asteroid that wasn't where it should have been, while they were all on their way to Lorwardia. And I'll bet that if we can somehow find the weapon and discover how to operate it, we may be able to alter the course of every last one of those puppies, and save Earth!"

Betty nodded. "I concur with your plan, Kim. And that may be our only hope. From here we might be able to do something about the first two, but our current defenses against all five of them are virtually nil."

"So, any idea where to look? Mars is a kind of biggish planet."

"Dr. Chen at the Middleton Observatory suggests looking somewhere between the Martian 70th parallels. That's the visual limit from which the moon of Phobos can be seen from the Martian surface."

Kim cocked one eyebrow. "Uh, and that's important because…"

"Because Phobos and Deimos are the first two asteroids that will hit us, Kim."

The other eyebrow shot up. "Whoa. Now the Lorwardians are flinging the moons of Mars at us? What, a mere asteroid isn't good enough? Next it'll be a kitchen sink as big as the moon."

Betty smiled at Kim's mild sarcasm, hopeful now that Earth had a fighting chance. "Do what you must, Kim. The Earth is counting on you."

"Roger that, Dr. Director. We'll do everything within our power. And maybe even a little more. Possible out."

She looked over at Shego, a trace of a smile tugging at her lips.

"Well, Shego, this may be our first real break. But it's ironic that the first two asteroids they aimed at Earth are Phobos and Deimos."

"Uh, why is that, Kim?"

"Translated from the Greek, their names mean Fear and Dread."

A chill went up Shego's spine. "Well, if _that_ doesn't totally creep me out. And how did you know _that _little bit of trivia, by the way?"

"One of Barkin's pop quizzes back in high school. Come to think of it, it's amazing how those tests have helped me in one way or another over the past few years."

Shego responded with a tiny humph. "And all Dr. D and I wanted to do was take over the world. At least we weren't trying to completely obliterate it."

Kim's smile widened. "Not on _my_ watch. And now I think I know where WarRaptor is heading: he's not going to Earth, he's headed for Mars, to protect that wrongsick gravity thingy!"

She excitedly hit the comm button and reconnected with Warmonga's shuttle. "This is Kim. Listen up everyone. We've all been going about this the wrong way. A Lorwardian gravity weapon of some kind is responsible for launching those asteroids at Earth. If we can find the device and use it to reverse the process, we can save the planet. So my guess is that WarRaptor is heading for Mars to try and protect it, since that's our only real chance to stop those asteroids."

The Empress nodded in agreement. "Yes, Warmonga remembers that Lorwardia once had an outpost there. But that was so long ago, it is doubtful that any records of its exact location can be accessed from here."

Kim broke out in a wide grin. "No big. I think I may be able to help."

She closed her eyes as she began to access one of her least used comet-granted powers. First she concentrated on their present location in space, then reached out across the cosmos with her mind, sensing the present location of the Earth, Mars and each of the asteroids.

"Now, to rewind back a few weeks…"

In her mind, she traced back the movement of the former Martian moons to the moment that each of them were wrenched out of orbit by the gravitic weapon and flung toward Earth. She froze that moment in her mind, focusing on Mar's rotation and the exact area of the planet that was facing each of its moons as they passed, finally zooming in on the Martian topography. She gasped in surprise as her eyes suddenly opened. The distinctive feature located there was unmistakable.

"I've got it! It's 40.75 degrees north Martian latitude by 9.46 degrees longitude."

She smiled victoriously as she cooed, "Dad, off the top of your head, you wouldn't happen to know what's at that exact location, would you?"

"Hmm. Well, if memory serves, that's in the Cydonia region, where that unusual rock formation is."

His eyebrows shot up as he made the connection. "Kim, are you saying that the gravitic weapon is located beneath the Face on Mars?"

Ron began trembling in fear as he yelled, "_The Face on Mars_? Kim, you're freakin' me out! Then all those alien conspiracy theories were right!"

Mr. Barkin immediately rolled his eyes and growled back, "Stoppable, there've been wackos who've also seen a smiley-face and Kermit the Frog on Mars, for crying out loud! I'm really surprised no one's seen the Virgin Mary yet! For cripes sake, when will you learn that not everything in the universe has some stinkin' conspiracy behind it?"

Still shaking, Ron mumbled back, "Well, Mr. B, I guess when things like this _stop happening to me!_"

Kim tried to calm her husband down. "Chill out, Ron! At least we know where that thing is now. And I have a feeling that WarRaptor will try to drop back into normal space above Mars, right above the plane of ecliptic. The same place he left the Lorwardian solar system, wouldn't you agree, Empress?"

"Warmonga concurs with the Great Red. If so, we may be able to catch him in a crossfire before he has a chance to react. As Warmonga has already cautioned, shields and weapons cannot be used during faster-than-light travel. And it will take several seconds after resuming space normal speed in order for him to activate his shields, just moments longer than it will take our own weapons to charge. But our timing must be perfect: there is no margin for error."

Kim cheerily responded, "So not the drama, Warmonga. I've discovered that my comet powers can also tell me when a ship is about to drop out of lightspeed. It made me feel kind of queasy the first time, but I'm kinda used to it by now. And I don't know of any better star pilots besides you and Shego. Do you think you both can do it?"

Warmonga nodded. Kim looked hopefully at Shego.

"Well, if my comet-powered cousin can give me the word at just the right moment, no problem."

"All right, we have a plan now. One that will help us catch the bad guys and hopefully not destroy the Earth in the process. And we'll find out in just a few days…"

* * *

Back on Earth, the headmistress of Yamanouchi stared up at the clear night sky. A few new tiny points of light had just appeared that evening, a portent of what was about to occur as the asteroids made their inevitable approach to Earth.

Hirotaka walked up to her, wrapping a shawl around her shivering form.

"Yori-chan, you must come inside. You will catch your death of cold if you remain out here much longer."

But she merely responded with an absentminded smile. "They are beautiful in their own way, do you not agree, Hiro-kun?"

Yori's fiancé stood next to her, looking a bit confused by her statement. "What was that, Yori-chan?"

"The asteroids. Are they not awe-inspiring in their power, and resplendent in their magnificence?"

Hirotaka made a sour face. "Frightening and terrifying would be the words I use to describe them, Yori-chan. Breathtaking as they must appear, they will soon wipe out all life on this planet, unless Possible-chan and Stoppable-sama can prevent it."

"Yes, my love, I know. But I have confidence in Ron-san. Recall that I assisted in his training last year as he attempted to gain full mastery over his powers. He was successful, and is now the indisputable Mystical Monkey Master. Somehow, he will find a way."

"True, but not even a Mystical Monkey Master can alter the trajectory of a massive asteroid."

Her faint smile reappeared. "Perhaps. But it has never been tried before, of course."

Yori's smile widened as she thought more deeply on Ron.

Hirotaka frowned. "Your thoughts wander again, Yori-chan. Are you absolutely certain that you no longer have feelings for him?"

Yori giggled lightly, the sound of her laughter gently echoing through the courtyard. "I will always have feelings for Ron-san, but not in that way, my jealous Hiro-kun. I have a bond of honor with him which is far above any feelings of mere sentimentality. And that kind of connection cannot, and should not, be broken."

The frown remained on his face. "As you have often said, Yori-chan. And please do not misunderstand, I deeply appreciate how he and Rufus-san recently rescued you from the astral plane. But now you begin to sound almost like Master Sensei."

"Yes, perhaps I have indeed channeled a bit of Sensei's wisdom."

The smile slowly disappeared from her face. "But I feel very soon that Ron-san will need to pull strength from me through that bond, lest he despair beyond all hope."

Hirotaka felt a chill go through his body. His next words were spoken slowly and very softly.

"Yori-chan. I sense tragedy, even death in the tone of your voice. But not here on Earth. Up there, somewhere, beyond the asteroids."

She sadly intoned, "Yes, Hiro-kun. Up there, between the stars."

Yori reached into her robe and pulled out a small piece of parchment. She gently unfolded it. The fresh ink was slightly smeared, its kanji characters having been written only a few minutes before, but it was still legible. She began to read the haiku aloud.

"_Dark star in the night_

_Hair red like cherry blossoms _

_before the last frost_…"

Hirotaka gave her a perplexed look. "But what does that mean, Yori-chan?"

"I… I do not yet know. The words came to me in a vision just moments ago, as if the universe itself was trying to communicate something of great import to me. But whatever the reason, I have a feeling I shall know very soon."

A tear appeared unbidden in the corner of one eye as she thought to herself, _"More accurate, I hope that my vision is flawed. For I have no way to warn her..."_

She turned her eyes back toward the heavens as she anxiously awaited the inevitable.

* * *

After several days of intense drills, Kim, Shego and Warmonga finally felt prepared for the real thing.

"All right, Shego. Just a few minutes left until we're in position."

"Roger that, Kim. Just say the word, I'm ready."

Kim flipped the comm switch. "Warmonga? We're all set over here."

"Warmonga is prepared, Great Red. May Warhafter be with us."

"Uh, I may swing a little differently in that regard, but I guess we can use all the help we can get."

Warmonga switched to a military channel and began to intone, "Warmonga to WarRaptor. Surrender now or be destroyed. This is your last warning."

The radio crackled back, "I think not, Warmonga. It is _you _who will be meeting your Maker in just a few minutes. I must admit my surprise at your ability to stay with me all the way back to Earth, but your excellent piloting skills will do you no good. As soon as you appear, I will blow you and your friends into so much space dust. It's just too bad you won't be around to see those asteroids hit the Earth. I'm sure it will be spectacular! _Hah-hah-hah!_"

WarRaptor broke the connection as Warmonga grit her teeth. "Prepare for an unpleasant surprise, _traitor_…"

James kept a sharp eye on the planetary monitor as they all rushed toward the Red Planet. He warned, "Mars coming up now fast, Kim. Ready on fire control, Steve?"

Steve Barkin grinned with evil delight. "Roger that, James. Just like that ambush in Quic Duc Lo, thirty years ago…"

Kim confidently stated, "All right everyone, this is it. Stand by…"

She closed her eyes and stretched out with her feelings, sensing the movement of WarRaptor's ship.

"Stand by… steady… steady…"

A slight queasiness came over her. She smiled.

"NOW!"

In normal space, a huge Lorwardian battlecruiser appeared as if out of nowhere. It now hung motionless in the starry night, barely 5000 kilometers above the Red Planet.

WarRaptor chuckled. "See, Wolfenstrike? Exactly as I planned it. And it will be several minutes before…"

Suddenly, the Kepler IV and the Imperial shuttle popped into normal space as well, each ship perfectly bracketing the battlecruiser, just off of its port and starboard sides.

WarRaptor blustered, "What the devil… Shields! NOW!"

But it was too late. Simultaneously, the order rang out on both of the pursuing ships.

"_FIRE!"_

Mr. Barkin hit the weapons button, and an arc of powerful energy lanced out from Warmonga's shuttle. He scored a direct hit on the battlecruiser's port weapons array, which exploded in a multicolored shower of sparks.

As she hit her own firing button, Shego growled, "Eat hot death, _you bastards!_"

Two intense beams of bright green plasma shot out from the Kepler. One instantly vaporized the battlecruiser's starboard weapons, while the other enveloped the ship's engines, rendering them totally inoperative. The battlecruiser immediately began its death spiral into the planet below.

Warmonga raised her hands in victory and let out a terrific war cry, as cheers from everyone else rang out throughout the shuttle.

Ron hollered "Booyah!" as Kim let out a whoop herself and declared, "Nice shot, Shego! Direct hit! We got 'em!"

But Shego's joy was short lived. "Uh, Kim, we've got a problem here."

Suddenly, warning klaxons began sounding as every emergency light in the cockpit began urgently blinking.

"Shego! What's wrong? What is it?"

She yelled back, "I don't know! Suddenly everything's gone haywire!"

She quickly began toggling several switches, but to no avail. "No response to controls! Power levels dropping fast!"

Kim shouted, "Sadie! Status!"

The computer sounded garbled as it tried to respond. "All systems critical… Electrical cascade in progress… Catastrophic failure imminent... Dimensional vortex appearing… hyperlight drive implosion in five… four… three…"

Kim had just enough time to scream out one name. "RON!"

"Two… One…"

"Kim! What is it?"

Ron heard Kim's psychic scream just as time ran out. Wondering what was happening, everyone looked out of the nearest porthole. They all looked on aghast as the Kepler IV seemed to just fold in onto itself, like an empty soda can being crushed by a huge, unseen hand, then simply… disappear.

A few small tendrils of light escaped, reaching out toward the shuttle as if they were desperately trying to grasp onto it in a vain attempt to keep from being sucked into limbo.

The Kepler IV had vanished.

"NOOOO! KIIIIM!"

Ron stood frozen, his eyes transfixed on the spot that moments before had held the Kepler IV, and his wife, Kim Possible.

Dr. Drakken also looked on in shock. "Shego… _no_…"

He sat down hard as he collapsed into his seat, as if someone had just delivered a tremendous blow to his solar plexus.

Silence fell upon the passengers of the shuttle as they looked on, stunned by the sudden event.

Warmonga softly uttered, "James. Readings, please."

He could barely tear his eyes away from the location of the disaster. A dark circle had appeared where the ship had disappeared, darker than the blackest night, darker than even space itself. Before he even checked the sensors, he knew exactly what he would find.

"Gravimetric readings off of the scale. I also detected a powerful burst of x-rays just as the ship imploded."

He glanced over at her with a look of intense sadness, and made his announcement with a tone of finality.

"The Kepler IV has collapsed into a Black Hole. And it took Kim and Shego right along with it."

* * *

Back on Earth, Yori suddenly gasped in shock. "Kim-chan! No!"

Her eyes rolled back up into her head as she passed out, collapsing onto the ground.

Hirotaka yelled out, "Yori! What is wrong? What has happened?"

He picked up the piece of parchment that Yori had dropped as she fell. A second haiku had been written below the first. He read it aloud.

"_A lone monkey wails_

_His dark eyes weep bitter tears_

_she will never see_…"

_**TBC**_


	20. Mourning

_I hadn't actually planned on leaving Team Possible & Co. hanging on that cliff for so long, but I've learned that in my writing, perfectionism and procrastination often go hand in hand. That and major computer problems... Hopefully it will have been worth the wait, especially with the fate of Kim, Shego and that third rock from the Sun hanging in the balance._

_Many thanks as always for those who've read, and especially who've reviewed: Eddy13, CajunBear73, Bookworm Gal, Sentinel103, levi2000a1, The Eye of the Oncoming Storm, Oreochema, Taechunsa, pbow, temporaryinsanity91, Jimmy1201, Linzerj and Tito Mosquito. And if I haven't responded to your review yet, hang in there, I'm getting caught up with some recent computer snafus. So without further ado..._

* * *

The passengers aboard the Imperial shuttle continued to stare out of the portholes in stunned silence. Ron gaped helplessly at the tiny black hole that had just swallowed the Kepler IV, right along with Kim and Shego. A million thoughts raced through his mind, ranging from wild hope to absolute crushing despair.

He immediately sent a thought directly into the black hole.

"_Kim? Kim! Are you there? Can you hear me? Please answer me, Kim. Please!_"

But there was no reply. Ron felt as if his mind was encased in cotton as he tried to probe the black hole for any sign at all that either of them had somehow survived.

He looked down at his ever faithful naked mole rat. "Rufus, a little help here."

They closed their eyes as they joined their minds in intense concentration. Together they reached out into the void, desperate for any indication, any sign at all that the two were still alive. They continued in their attempt for several minutes, until the intensity of their effort caused them both to break out in a profuse sweat.

Panting with the extreme exertion, Ron finally conceded defeat. "It's no use, Rufus. Even together, we just can't reach through that wrongsick black hole. That thing is so dense, my mind feels like its been locked inside a closet, closed in a trunk and then dropped into the Marianas Trench."

Rufus nodded as he fell over backwards onto the deck, totally exhausted from the effort.

Ron managed to choke out, "Mr. Dr. P? Is there any chance that, well, that they're still, uh…"

James gently responded before Ron could finish his dire question. "Ronald, there's still so much we don't know about black holes, since we've never actually been able to observe a real one close up. The exact quantum mechanics of this phenomenon are only theoretical and have never been even remotely explored, since anything that's fallen into one has never been seen again."

He felt like quietly kicking himself after making that careless observation, and quickly tried to backpedal.

"Uh, but anything's possible at this point, of course."

The look on his face however betrayed his true feelings on Kim and Shego's likely fate.

Ron let out a disconsolate sigh. "Thanks for trying Mr. Dr. P, but I don't need any of my bon-diggety mind-reading skills to know what you really believe."

James sadly shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ronald. But please remember that Kim's my daughter as well as your wife, and I'm also grasping at any metaphysical straws regarding their true fate, just like you are."

Dr. Drakken somberly added, "And that goes for me as well."

He had also seen the look of despair on his former classmate's face, which in turn sparked a memory from long ago. He had a flashback to a college quantum physics class he and James had taken together, and the instructor's now prophetic words.

"_A black hole by its very nature possesses enough gravity to prevent anything, even light, from escaping. Once any matter passes its event horizon, it has passed the point of no return, and is totally destroyed."_

_James immediately questioned, "But what about the theory of evaporation, whereby small amounts of thermal radiation can be emitted by the black hole, meaning that the black hole will eventually dissipate and ultimately disappear? Wouldn't that contradict the possibility of any information loss?"_

_The instructor nodded in understanding. "Ah, you speak of Hawking radiation, of course. A very good point, but that's only theoretical, since that's never been actually observed or verified. Likewise with the information loss paradox, which begins by stating that any matter that goes into a black hole is permanently destroyed. But on the other hand, the principles of quantum determinism and reversibility means that matter must always be preserved in some form."_

_James persisted, "But if matter enters a black hole and is totally annihilated, wouldn't that also violate the first law of thermodynamics, which states that while energy can change from one form to another, it can neither be created nor destroyed?"_

_The instructor impatiently tapped a pencil on his desk. "Reading ahead in the text again, Mr. Possible? Admittedly, that does violate both the known rules of causality and the conservation of energy. But most other explanations must grossly deviate from basic gravitational theory, and therefore we are left with this paradox. I suppose we'll never know until we can actually send something into a black hole and observe what happens."_

"_But there's another possibility. Couldn't a black hole somehow act as a wormhole, and therefore become a corridor between the here and now, and, well, somewhere else?"_

_The instructor merely chuckled. "Mr. Possible, I suggest you refrain from immersing yourself in those Captain Constellation episodes and that related fan-fiction that you enjoy so much, and ground yourself in reality and verifiable science. This is a physics class. Science fiction is down the hall and to your right."_

The forlorn look on James' face at that time mirrored what Dr. Drakken now saw in the present. But he also recalled his own experience with bizarre vortexes of various and sundry forms, along with something he had heard right before the Kepler vanished.

"Uh, Warmonga, girl? Could you please replay the last message we received from the Kepler just before it disappeared?"

Without a word, she toggled a switch, and the message began to replay. The garbled computer could just be heard over the blaring klaxons.

"_All systems critical… Electrical cascade in progress… Catastrophic failure imminent... Dimensional vortex appearing… hyperlight d__rive implosion in_…"

"Freeze that!"

He looked over at Ron, an ashen look on his pale blue face. "Did you here that? Dimensional vortex appearing! Do you remember the time when we were sucked into those TV shows along with Shego and Kimberly Ann?"

Not wanting to be left out, Rufus angrily chittered back, "_Hey! Me too!_"

Ron rolled his eyes. "You mean _both_ times. How could I possibly forget that? Those sitches totally freaked me out."

"And do you remember the name of that purloined device of mine which caused that to happen?"

"Yeah, wasn't it the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer?"

The realization hit Ron like a thunderbolt. "Of course! WarRaptor must have gotten his grubby hands on the PDVI at the same time as the brain-switch machine!"

James eyes narrowed. "And now we know what he wanted to use it for: a booby trap to sabotage the Kepler, which must have destabilized the Kimpossibility drive. And no doubt set to activate once the ship dropped out of hyperspace, in our own solar system. Near Earth, and far, far away from Lorwardia. Darn, if I had only remembered to install an Emergency Off Switch..."

Drakken queried, "Yes, but where did it take them? That's still a black hole out there, thanks to that hyperlight drive implosion. And even if by some miracle they survived their excursion to heaven knows where, that's still a one way trip."

Ron paled as he realized what the renegade Lorwardian's complete plan must have been. "Yeah. And if not for all of the unexpected twists and turns we've recently gone through, we _all _would have been on that ship when it disappeared. That would have solved all of WarRaptor's problems with one bon-diggety stroke, leaving us all in limbo and Earth left without a prayer."

Warmonga interjected, "Yes, but now that WarRaptor has been defeated, all we need do is use his gravimetric weapon to reverse the process, and stop those asteroids from hitting your planet."

Camille suddenly spoke up. "Uh, peoples? Your deductiony theories are really poppin', but where did WarRaptor's ship go?"

Warmonga quickly accessed her ship's sensors and spotted the doomed ship as it continued to cartwheel toward the Martian surface.

"It is apparently out of control, and will hit the planet only moments from now. The precise impact should occur…"

Her face broke out in a look of horror. "Oh, frackle! It's headed directly for the Face on Mars, exactly where the Great Red indicated the gravitic weapon was located!"

She immediately fired up the engines in an attempt to close the distance between the two ships. Everyone was suddenly tossed about the cabin like rag dolls, the artificial gravity generators straining to compensate for the sudden acceleration.

Ron clutched his suddenly queasy stomach. "Ooh, lucky I had my breakfast _way _earlier…"

At that moment, emergency alarms were blaring out on the Lorwardian battlecruiser as WarRaptor, Battlefox and Wolfenstrike raced for the escape pods.

"Foolproof, WarRaptor? Bah! Those supposedly inferior humans have been right on our heels every step of the way! I should never have gotten involved in this frackled plan..."

The Lorwardian commander growled back, "Oh, stow it, Battlefox! This is only a minor setback. Once we eject, we'll make our way back to our base on the surface below, and joyfully observe the final destruction of Earth. Then we'll call for a rescue ship that will return us to Lorwardia in triumph!"

Wolfenstrike merely mumbled, "I'll believe it when I see it..."

Within the carefully camouflaged base below, WarSkunk smiled as he looked up at the approaching spacecraft. "Ah, that must be our relief ship."

Battlevole agreed. "Yes, and now we go home to Lorwardia, honored as heroes. So, do you think we'll receive a promotion? Perhaps we'll be given command of our own ships!"

WarSkunk frowned as a warning light began flashing. "Perhaps, but only if that incoming ship doesn't decide to land right on top of us."

He flipped on the comm unit. "Attention, approaching battlecruiser, come in please. You are on a direct course toward our base. Please assume standard orbit immediately."

But all her heard in reply was static.

"Repeat, approaching battlecruiser, you are on a direct course toward us. Assume a standard orbit or veer off immediately!"

They worriedly looked at each other as the static continued.

"Still no reply. A suicide attack?"

The emergency klaxon sounded, signaling an impending collision.

"No doubt about that now, it's coming right at us! We need to evacuate immediately! Quickly, ready the shuttle for emergency launch!"

But it was too late. WarRaptor's battlecruiser made one final tortuous spin before embedding itself directly into one of the eyes of the unusual geologic formation, detonating in a massive explosion. The intense secondary explosion of the gravitic weapon's power source was even larger, sending up dust and debris high into the Martian atmosphere, leaving behind a smoking funeral pyre of shattered rock. The hidden Lorwardian base, along with its gravitic weapon, was no more.

As Warmonga dropped the Imperial shuttle into a low orbit around Mars, James anxiously looked over at her. She returned his unspoken question with a negative shake of her head.

"I'm sorry, James. I'm no longer picking up any power readings of any kind. WarRaptor's ship has obliterated the base, along with whatever device they used to launch those asteroids at your homeworld."

As James' shoulders drooped in defeat, he mourned, "Well, that's it then. With neither Kim nor any device powerful enough to undo the asteroid attack, Earth appears doomed."

Bonnie immediately whined, "You mean I'm going to be stuck in this body, like, _forever_?"

She instantly felt a dozen pairs of eyes suddenly boring into her like daggers for her incredibly insensitive remark.

The Empress growled, "Warmonga does not look forward to that prospect _either_, Bonnie Rockwaller."

The hapless cheerleader contritely replied, "Whoops, sorry everybody. I know we're all gonna miss Kim. A lot."

Barkin likewise began to sink into a deep funk. "And with Possible gone, that weapon was our last hope in preventing Earth's destruction."

A quiet voice spoke from behind him. "Not quite, Mr. Barkin. It looks like it's actually up to me now."

Barkin shot him an incredulous look. "You, Stoppable? Yeah, I know you're gifted with some kind of maniacal marmoset power..."

"Uh, I think you mean Mystical Monkey Power?"

"Whatever. But is it strong enough to somehow deflect five humongous asteroids?"

Ron hesitated as he considered the enormity of the task. He sadly looked back up into space in the direction of the newly formed black hole, sending out a silent plea.

"_Kim, I wish you were still here. Together, I'm sure we could have done this, no problemo. But all by myself now? I'm not so sure..."_

Barkin gruffly continued, "Stoppable, you may have accidentally become Middleton's star running back, and as Kim's sidekick helped save the world from a few bad guys, but stopping those asteroids single handed? Does the phrase _delusions of grandeur_ mean anything to you?"

This elicited an immediate negative response from everyone present, bar none. While the cheerleaders all began loudly defending Ron, everyone else began weighing in on Ron's side.

"Steve, that's my son-in-law you're taking about..."

"You should consider your words more carefully, _human_. Warmonga has experienced his bravery and resourcefulness first hand on more than one occasion..."

"He truly _is_ all that..."

But when all eight feet of Lorwardian-powered Bonnie came furiously came pounding over to him, he immediately knew that he'd gone too far.

"What was that, _Mister_ Barkin?"

Mortal fear now shone in Barkin's eyes, as he held up both hands and quickly apologized. "Sorry, sorry everyone! Just remember that I suffered through Stoppable's unfocused randomness all the way through high school. But I admit, he's, uh, changed a lot for the better over the past few years."

Crossing his tiny arms, Rufus nodded with a tiny humph for good measure.

"Thanks everyone. Because if this is gonna end up being up to me, I'm gonna need all the bon-diggety help I can get."

He looked deep within himself as he tried to tap into a deep emotional resource he hadn't needed since his battle with Zorpox the year before. He quickly found his answer.

His voice quivering with emotion, he confidently declared, "But under no circumstances will I give up, and I will _not_ let Kim's death be in vain. I _swear_ it. Somehow, I will find a way to stop those asteroids and save the Earth."

But he felt compelled to complete one final duty first. In a much softer tone, he requested, "Warmonga, would you please take us back to the black hole? I'd... I'd like to say one last goodbye to Kim."

The Empress nodded in understanding. As the shuttle slowly left Mars orbit, Ron blinked away a tear, which began falling to the deck below.

But before the teardrop could complete its journey, it stopped in midair. The entire tableaux suddenly froze, as time itself literally stood still. Within the tiniest fraction of a second, three multicolored forms appeared and coalesced just beyond the reality of our universe, and began communicating amongst themselves.

"This is an unforeseen event. Things appear quite serious now."

If the being next to him had had a human face, it would have had sarcasm written all over it. "That is an understatement if I've ever heard one."

The third being added, "Yes, extremely serious. Chances are that the Chosen One could have saved the Earth, but this event has drastically altered those chances. Can the one named Ron Stoppable now accomplish the task of saving his planet singlehandedly, especially now that he has lost his beloved?"

The first replied, "There is a much more imperative question that must be answered first. He has not yet discovered that she still exists. And if he suspects that the Chosen One is still alive, will he not attempt to rescue her?"

The second agreed. "Very possibly. But only at the risk of the Earth's destruction. We may exist outside the framework of physical time, but the passage of time is fixed within his reality. And for him as well as Earth, time is very short."

The third continued, "Truly spoken. So what can we expect to transpire here? Even after becoming the Mystical Monkey Master, Ron Stoppable has often acted randomly and chaotically, and is certainly a force that could tip the scale in either direction. If given a chance to choose one over the other, I cannot say for certain which path he would commit to: his one great love, Kim Possible, or the fate of the entire world."

"If we factor in the emotion of love, I think that there is no doubt he would choose his life mate."

"Perhaps. But you must understand that these humans display different forms of love at different times. There is of course the type of romantic love shared between males and females of their species. But at its root, it is most often impulsive: based on the whim of the moment, on feelings and physical attraction, and the desire to meet one's own selfish needs and desires. Self-centered and self-beneficial, in other words.

"Ah, yes. The Shallow Hottie Syndrome, well exemplified by the one called Bonnie Rockwaller."

All three swirled together in complete understanding and total agreement.

"Sometimes, however, the couple begins the relationship on the basis of friendship, where the two benefit each other in a mutual way. There is give and take, an understanding and acceptance of the others strengths and weaknesses. And if those factors are complimentary, once the romantic aspects begin to blossom, that can seal the relationship and allow them to weather even the greatest trials of their existence. Unfortunately, many of their kind seek romantic love first, after which they merely hope for the best."

"Yes, in other words, getting the tail before the comet. Very unwise, and far too common as we have sadly observed."

"True, but the most uncommon love of all is unconditional, and is not driven by mere physical attraction or close friendship. That kind of love is driven not by self-benefit, but by self-sacrifice."

"Indeed. And as one of Earth's ancient holy texts has stated, love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. That kind of love never fails. And it is apparent that both Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable have indeed displayed the capacity for that kind of love, both at present and in the past."

"I agree. But what happens when an irrevocable choice must be made between those who will benefit from that kind of unconditional, selfless love? Is it his fate to be torn between these two great and terrible choices, when only one or the other can be made? On the one hand, love of humanity and the billions of lives at stake, the greater good if you will, as opposed to the love for that one special and unique individual who will not survive if the choice to save her is not made?"

"An excellent observation. And a decision that is complicated by the fate of Drakken's life mate, Shego. His moral compass is much more attuned to her than with Earth's fate. He would have have relatively little difficulty in making that choice, and would no doubt seek to influence Ron's decision."

The third finally interjected, "True, and this would make for an interesting test if the stakes were not so high. The more I study humans, the more I find myself intrigued by them, and I have always wished to explore this emotion they call love in greater depth. But perhaps that would best be left for another time."

The first brusquely stated, "That would be wise, as our primary purpose is to maintain the multiverse's balance, both within and without. In the final analysis, can Ron do this on his own? And does he have the necessary self-confidence to accomplish his task?"

"I believe he can. But more importantly, would he be willing to sacrifice Kim in order to achieve that?"

"There is another even more basic problem. His strength and focus as the Mystical Monkey Master has always been closely tied to his feelings for Kim Possible. In the past, he has been able to summon incredible power in order to protect her. But without her, will that focus be weakened? If he does choose to save Earth, he may not find the power within himself to carry out his challenging task."

"You have made an excellent point. So serious is this situation that I would vote that we directly intervene, but that would go against one of our most sacrosanct rules, and besides, the Hierarchy has already made its decision. You will recall that they made an exception after the first comet's misfire, and a second comet was dispatched. Although I believe that time has proven the wisdom of that decision, some among the Hierarchy are still debating even that. And sadly, we have not been permitted to have any further say in the matter."

The second indignantly commented, "In spite of the fact that there are billions of lives at stake on Earth?"

The first irritatedly replied, "_Especially_ with billions of lives at stake. And what of the countless number of beings not only in this universe, but in the entire multiverse as well? Our interference already has had unexpected consequences. Any further action on our part could potentially affect the entire Totality, and unimaginable repercussions could result."

The second dimmed in acquiescence. "Yes, yes, of course. It just seems to be a terribly onerous decision to inflict on one so young without guiding him in some way. The burden he is currently bearing must be unimaginably heavy. And it is ironic that the two females that we so graciously endowed with their incredible powers have now been rendered _hors de combat_. Together, they may have indeed discovered a way to stop those asteroids."

The first sadly added, "It is doubly ironic that Ron's powers are mystical in origin rather than being comet-endowed, as with the females."

The second continued, "And therefore having originated entirely within his universe, which is precisely why this must be resolved without any direct intervention on our part. The Hierarchy stated unequivocally that this was at the core of their decision."

The first continued slyly, "But although we cannot interfere directly, we do still have the ability to _indirectly_ guide Ron in his decision."

The third began to swirl about in hope. "Ah, yes. You refer to Sensei, of course. Although incorporeal, he is still abides within Ron's own universe, but is separated from him by not one, but several planes of existence. Sadly, communication between them is nearly impossible without our help."

"Not that we haven't made that possible from time to time, even if it has meant bending the rules, don't you agree?"

The third glowed deep crimson with embarrassment. "Yes, and I was the last to do so. But I do not regret it."

The first pleasantly agreed. "Nor do I. And I believe it we are overdue for a little chat with our old friend."

And with a gentle flash of multicolored light, the three beings vanished.

Ron's teardrop immediately resumed its journey to the deck below, splashing between his feet. Rufus acknowledged Ron's sadness with a tiny whimper of condolence.

Bonnie likewise wished to offer her respects, and make up for her earlier faux pax. She walked over to him as gently as she could, given her present Lorwardian form.

"Ron, I'm sorry. That was a really selfish thing I said earlier, even for _me_."

He looked back at her with a trace of a smile. "Thanks, Bonnie. I appreciate it. But if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone right now."

Bonnie returned his smile. "Sure, Ron. No problem, I totally understand."

She tried to give him a gentle hug, but nevertheless squeezed a little too hard with her Lorwardian biceps, eliciting a painful grown from Ron.

She quickly apologized and retreated back to her own seat. "Oopsies! I guess I still don't know my own strength..."

As he massaged his painful neck, he began a mental convo with Rufus.

"_Rufus, I... I still can't believe what just happened to Kim. I don't want to hold onto any false hopes, but what do you really think, little buddy? I know Mr. Dr. P is an expert scientist, and black holes are, well, totally sick and wrong, but I can't keep from thinking she's still alive out there, somewhere_."

Rufus looked up at Ron, his tiny eyes holding the barest flicker of hope.

He began carefully, "_If she is, I do not as yet feel her thoughts, nor her spirit. But this __is understandable, given that Kim and Shego have disappeared into the densest physical phenomenon known to either man or mole rat. And it's important to remember that this is not a normal black hole, but one created with the help of the Pan Dimensional Vortex Ind__ucer. Considering our experiences with that infernal device, I believe the jury is still__ out regarding their true fate."_

He added with a cheerful wink, "_And never forget that anything_'_s possible for a Possible."_

"_Thanks, good buddy. I'll try to remember that."_

He looked up in surprise as he felt another familiar presence. "_And I think someone else may be on her way to help us."_

A mystical ball of light appeared before them, and began to coalesce into the form of a young Japanese female.

Ron immediately perked up as he recognized the familiar silhouette. "Yori!"

The beautiful headmistress of Yamanouchi smiled as she continued to float before them. "Yes, Ron-san, it is I. My deepest condolences on the loss of Kim-chan, and that of Shego-chan as well."

Ron let out a ragged sigh of deep sorrow. "Thanks, Yori. I… I still can't believe she's gone."

"I grieve with you deeply on your loss, Ron-san. It is nearly as deep for me as well, for I truly believed that Kim-chan was your destiny."

With a wistful look, she gazed off into the distance. "And it was a humble honor to have assisted both her and Shego-chan in your rescue last year. Together, the Earth was saved, thanks to you all. And nothing, not even this present distress, can ever change that fact. Please to draw solace from that memory, even though present circumstance is disheartening."

Tears began to well up in Ron's eyes. "Thanks, Yori. That means more to me than I can even begin to say at the moment."

But his grief was quickly replaced by puzzlement. "But how did you know what just happened, and why are you here now?"

Yori softly continued, "As I gazed up at approaching asteroids, I felt her passing, even though she was millions of miles distant. Once I overcame my shock, I knew that you would need me, perhaps more than ever. Ron-san, the bond of honor we share compels me to both help you endure the loss of your beloved, and to assist in your attempt to avert world-wide catastrophe."

She closed her eyes, spreading her hands toward Ron. Instantly, a wave of peace and comfort washed over him, bathing his soul in indescribable relief.

He closed his eyes, and inside his mind he heard her gentle voice. "_I am here for you, Ron-san_."

He felt the emotional pain begin to drain away, the warmth of her presence acting like a salve to his sorrowful spirit. He wordlessly thanked her as he opened his eyes again, observing her hovering form smiling back at him.

"You are most welcome, Ron-san. Let us now focus on the crisis at hand."

He took a deep breath and nodded. "All right, Yori. Where do we start?"

"Let us begin with the basics. Do you recall your training in the philosophy of the Five Elements?"

Ron scratched his head as he tried to remember. "Uh, yeah. Let's see, that was Chi, Ka, Fu, Sui and Ku."

She nodded in approval. "Very good. Translated, Chi means Earth, and is embodied by the hard, solid objects in the world. The most basic example is in a stone, which is highly resistant to movement or change. The asteroids approaching us can be defined as such. Ka means Fire, and is symbolized by the forceful, energetic moving things of the world. But the Lorwardians have unwittingly combined the forces of Chi and Ka together in the form of those terrifying asteroids. It would take an equivalent force to deflect or destroy them."

Ron began to whine, "But I'm only human, Yori! I may be the Mystical Monkey Master, but I don't have the power of Chi _or_ Ka. So there's no way I can singlehandedly stop those asteroids!"

She looked down sadly. "Ron-san, somehow you must find a way to tap into these primal forces and use them to save the world. You are now our only hope. Without you, the world shall end, just as I foresaw."

Ron sat down heavily. "Okay, then I guess it's time for a little power of imagination. So how about the other three elements? Fu means Wind, and can also mean growing things that expand and freely move around."

"Yes, Ron-san. Like air, or even the power of your mind. Perhaps you can combine those forces somehow?"

"You mean earth, wind and fire?"

Ron looked down with a wistful look on his face, as a distant memory was recalled.

"That reminds me of a music group my dad liked to listen to when he was dating my mom. Well, at least that's what he told me when I was growing up. And he always liked the song _After the Love Has Gone, _but he never told me why. I dunno, maybe it reminded him of an old flame. But I could never get that last line out of my head: _Can love that's lost be found?_"

He sighed deeply as he once again recalled Kim's sudden disappearance. "Will I ever see her again, Yori? Can the one true love I've lost ever be found again?"

The young ninja once again sensed his tremendous emotional pain, and she tried to communicate back to him feelings of comfort, if not hope.

"I do not know, Ron-san. But I am here for you now, to help strengthen you in your time of loss, and to give you the courage to face your next tremendous challenge. In keeping with our bond of honor, I pledge myself in assisting you in any way I am able."

Ron felt another gentle wave of peace emanate from Yori as it washed over his soul. It brought him a brief feeling of relief, but it only lasted a moment before a brief vision of Kim appeared, unbidden in his mind.

"Thanks Yori. But I just can't seem to let her go. I don't even know if she's still alive, or, or…"

He couldn't bring himself to finish that sentence, as another teardrop ran down his face, falling gently to the deck below with a tiny splash.

But this evoked another memory, as he immediately recalled Sui, the fourth element. Water, personifying the fluid, formless things of the world. But he also remembered another embodiment of Sui. Plants could also be categorized as that element, adaptable and changing with their environment, always growing, always alive.

"Uh, Yori? What about Sui, especially in what it has to do with plants? Dr. D has some pretty coolio mutagenic abilities. Maybe he could be part of the answer?"

"Perhaps, Ron-san."

Drakken readily agreed. "Well, if there's anything I can do to help, I'm game."

"Your help would of course be gratefully accepted. But please also recall the final element, Ron-san. Ku is often translated as Void, but can also mean either the sky or the heavens, depending on context. It expresses anything beyond our normal experience, especially things composed of pure energy. To the Mystical Monkey Master, it represents his spirit, thought, and creative energy. It also epitomizes his power, spontaneity and inventiveness."

Ron looked back at her, surprised by the statement. "You mean the power of my imagination has its roots in Ku?"

"And your mastery of Tai Shing Pek Kwar as well. How else can you explain your ability to sense your surroundings and act without thinking, not even having to use your physical senses? Your embodiment of Ku was that which helped you easily defeat both Warhok and Warmonga, both incredibly powerful warriors many times your size."

Ron immediately recalled another example. "Yeah! And then there was that time when we combined ourselves into one singular form in order to defeat Zorpox."

She smiled at the memory. "Yes, I recall that we named that union... _Yoronfus_. And remember also that Ku is the most powerful of the elements. Chi and Ka are comparatively weak."

He made an unpleasant face. "Uh, maybe comparatively, but I wouldn't call five huge asteroids hurtling towards Earth at several thousand kilometers an hour weak by any stretch of the imagination. Even mine."

Yori laughed lightly. "I never tire of your American-style observations, Ron-san."

This elicited a trace of smile from Ron. "So, mind over matter, huh?"

Yori smiled back and bowed her head ever so slightly.

"And I have a pretty wild imagination, as you well know. So you're saying that it just might be possible for me to deal with those asteroids on my own somehow?"

"Correct, Ron-san. It would be your great honor to stop them."

"Well, that's one honor I'd be glad to do without. But if it honored Kim's memory, I suppose that I..."

His face suddenly went blank again as he had yet another vision of Kim. But this time she was reaching out to him, her face pleading with him, beckoning him from an unimaginably distant place. And then, once again, she was gone.

But this time it was different. When he looked up at Yori, she had a look of astonishment on her face.

"Ron-san… I… I just saw what you saw. It _was_ Kim-chan. But it was not through your mind, it was in my own mind's eye. As if…"

Ron was shaking. "As if Kim were reaching out… to both of us?"

Rufus excitedly jumped up and down, having just shared the same apparition. "_Me too!_"

A spark of hope ignited within Ron's mind. "Better make that all _three_ of us, Yori."

The young ninja felt her own hope rising, but she hesitated to confirm that lest Ron be given any false hope. Still, she nodded in the affirmative as she continued.

"Yes. And I also sensed a feeling along with it. It was similar to the one I felt when I received my first vision."

Ron swallowed hard. "The one where Earth was destroyed."

"True, but I now know that particular vision came from Master Sensei. And we both know where his spirit rests at present."

Ron's brief hope began to evaporate. "Yeah. Beyond our physical existence, even beyond the astral plane. I... I hope Kim made it to Heaven. But if there's even the slightest chance she's still actually alive out there somewhere…"

Drakken, who had been carefully following the entire convo, carefully whispered, "And if Kim's still alive, could… could Shego still be alive too?"

"Perhaps. Ron-san, Rufus-san, your assistance please."

The two immediately sensed Yori's plan, to once again reach into the black hole with their minds. But where two had failed, three might now succeed, especially if Kim might be attempting to reach them form the other side. The beautiful ninja continued to float before them as they all closed their eyes tightly, deeply concentrating on the swirling circle of pitch black that marked Kim's possible final resting place in space. Or was it somehow simply a portal to another time and place?

At that moment, a wispy tendril of white escaped from the black hole. But as it vanished, a flicker of red and green could be seen for a brief millisecond.

Ron blurted out, "There! Did you see that?"

Drakken's face lit up. "I think so. But do we dare believe our eyes? Intensely wishful thinking could simply be causing us to see things."

He let out a small sigh. "Considering my megalomaniac past, I should know."

Ron whispered, "Yeah, Dr. D, but I saw it too."

"As did I, Drakken-san." Yori remained calm. "This is compelling evidence for their continued existence, but by no means absolute proof. The power of the mind can indeed play tricks, Ron-san."

"Yeah, and I'm sure there's nothing we want more than to believe they're still alive."

James spoke up. "Well, since I've been monitoring that black hole ever since it appeared, why don't I just play back the last thirty seconds of video at one-tenth speed and see if we can confirm what you saw?"

Everyone crowded around the video monitor as James adjusted the controls. The tape began to play.

Ron gleefully announced, "There! Do you see it?"

As clear as day, the white wisp appeared, immediately turning into a twine of red and green, then evaporating into space.

James smiled. "Yes, we all saw it this time, Ronald."

Everyone cheered, now buoyed with hope at the possibility of Kim and Shego's survival.

James continued, "And I've got more good news. I've detected minute amounts of thermal radiation being emitted as well from that black hole. This is confirmation of what's known as Hawking radiation."

He took a deep breath before continuing. "This confirms that matter isn't totally destroyed once it enters a black hole, at least in this case."

Drakken replied hopefully, "Then they may still be alive after all?"

James brow furrowed as he continued. "Yes, it's possible, but there's also one treee-_mendous_ down side. This is a relatively small black hole, and theoretically at least, it will eventually disappear as it continues to dissipate Hawking radiation. And the smaller the hole, the faster it will evaporate, so the theory goes."

Drakken's joy quickly turned to grief as he recalled his quantum physics course. "Which means if they're still inside when it collapses, that's curtains for them both. Unless of course the PDVI has somehow transported them, well, uh, somewhere else."

"Yes, that's about the size of it. But whether this object is a true black hole, or some kind of wormhole leading to heaven knows where, once it collapses, we will probably never see either of them again."

Drakken whimpered, "Can you estimate how long before that happens?"

James quickly took some additional readings and made the necessary calculations.

He ominously announced, "At the present rate of evaporation, that black hole will collapse within three days, give or take a few hours either way."

Ron brashly announced, "Then we've got to save them somehow!"

James raised an eyebrow at Ron's fierce comment. "Uh, Ronald, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but that _is_ a black hole out there, just waiting to crush us into our component subatomic particles. How do you propose we go about saving them, assuming they did survive?"

Ron fixed him with a look of absolute determination. "Send me in."

James shot him an incredulous look. "What? Send you _into_ a black hole?"

He couldn't help but laugh at how preposterous that idea sounded. "Seriously, Ronald. I know I've threatened many times to send you into a black hole, but I was only joking."

James scratched his chin in thought. "Well, maybe I _was_ serious a few times, but as far as we know, that would simply be a one-way trip to Eternity."

Warmonga quietly whispered to Drakken, "Why would Ron wish to visit a cologne? Perhaps he seeks supernatural help from Kalvin Cline?"

Drakken shushed her as Ron confidently answered, "Not necessarily. After all, I _am_ the Mystical Monkey Master, and if anyone can save them, that would be me."

But James was far from convinced. He continued in an even tone, "Ronald, I deeply appreciate your offer, but I just can't let you do it. We may have already lost Kim and Shego. We can't risk losing you as well."

Barkin interjected, "And just to remind you, Stoppable, those asteroids are due to hit our planet within three days. Every moment we waste here flapping our jaws just brings those things closer to Earth."

Ron's eyes went wide with fear as a terrible realization struck him full force. He began to feel very faint, collapsing into the nearest chair and placing his head in his hands.

"Oh, no. No, no, no..."

After a moment, he looked back up at everyone, sadness etched on every feature of his face.

"If I try and save the Earth, Kim and Shego are doomed. And if I try and save Kim and Shego, the Earth is doomed. There's simply not enough time to do both. And both choices have one word in common: Doom."

All of Ron's past fears and anxieties seemed to return in an instant, perching on his shoulder like some kind of evil vulture, sapping him of the very resolve he needed to make his decision.

"I... I don't know what to do."

Drakken was the first to speak up. "With all due respect for our lovely planet, we should try and rescue Shego and Kimberly Ann first. They risked everything in order to save us last year when we were so rudely and vilely kidnapped by that overgrown Lorwardian..."

Realizing what he had just said, Drakken suddenly made a gurgling sound, halfway between a choke and a cough, before continuing in a more contrite tone of voice.

"Sorry, Warmonga. No offense intended."

The Empress evenly replied, "None taken, O Great Blue."

Ron continued to think out loud. "Well, the world might not survive if I choose Kim, but Kim will definitely not survive unless I make a bon-diggity rescue attempt.

Drakken tried to sound hopeful. "On the other hand, Kimberly Ann is one of the most resourceful people I know. And Shego's definitely in the same class, especially when she's motivated. And impending doom can be quite a motivator, believe me. They may be trying to make their way back, even as we speak."

Bonnie supposed, "Then again, we don't even know for sure if they're still alive. Ron, you could be throwing your very life away and jeopardizing the entire human race. And on someone who may already be…"

Ron instantly shot back, "Don't you dare finish that sentence! As long as there's now even the slightest possibility that she's still among the living, I have to consider this."

Barkin shot back, "But what of the fate of the world, Stoppable? And not only the Earth, but the fate of the entire galaxy? With Earth gone, the Lorwardians would once again be virtually unstoppable. Not only the billions on Earth but the trillions of countless others, races that we aren't even aware of yet, all hanging in the balance. All dependent on you. All dependent on the course of action you take to either try and rescue Kim and Shego, or save the world."

Bonnie then chimed in with her two cents worth. "And I hate to bring this up, but here's something else to consider. If you successfully rescue Kim, but forfeit both the Earth and the rest of the galaxy, how is she going to feel about that? _She_ might even start calling _you_ loser for the rest of your life."

Ron's resolve began to crumble. "Ooh. Good point. She'd probably feel guilty about that, like, forever, and never let me forget it. But there's also no guarantee I can save Earth on my own. What if I try and fail? Then the world dies, and Kim dies, and us right along with it."

Barkin retorted, "But what if you try to rescue them, and fail? It'll be the same result: they die, you die, and we all die. Some quicker than others, but if WarRaptor survives and gains the upper hand, Lorwardia will hunt us down until every last human in the galaxy is either enslaved or exterminated."

Ron paled at the thought. "Ooh, yeah. Just like what the Glorg tried to do in Season 7 of Space Passage."

James plaintively mumbled, "Yes, of course. Just like that."

"I just wish I had more time to think this through. If we proceed directly to Earth, I won't have time to go back and rescue Kim and Shego if I blow it. But if I try and rescue them, I may not have enough time to get back to Earth, either. I really wish someone else would make the decision for me, or at least help me make the right choice."

James looked Ron right in the eye. "Ronald, because Kim is my daughter, I'm too close emotionally to this to offer you any non-biased advice. Because if it was up to me, I'd launch you into that black hole without a moment's hesitation, the Earth be damned, even though there are billions of lives at stake. But there's one thing I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, and it's based on everything you've done as Kim's fiancé, and then afterward as her husband."

He took a long, slow breath before finishing. "When you make your decision, it _will_ be the right one."

Ron was deeply moved by the faith James had just placed in him, no matter which choice he finally made.

"Thanks, Mr. Dr. P. That means a lot, especially coming from you."

Ron then turned to the one person in whom he could presently trust more than any other.

"Yori, I'd appreciate any further pearls of wisdom you have to offer. You've always had that knack for making the right decisions, especially the difficult ones."

Yori blushed at the compliment, even as she continued to hover before them all.

"Your faith in me is deeply appreciated, Ron-san, but I do not believe I can add anything more than what has already been said. The future is clouded in mystery, in spite of my vision. The only thing I can state with certainty is that you are the nexus, the focal point around which everything now hinges. But please to be certain of this: whatever decision you make, I will do everything in my power to assist you."

Ron softly replied. "Thanks, Yori. So it's all up to me then."

He looked down at Rufus, hoping for at least one last gentle push in either direction, one last iota of data he had not yet considered. But Rufus merely looked back up at him with a look of hopeful expectation.

Ron felt as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, plus five gigantic asteroids in addition. With one final sigh, Ron closed his eyes. And he began to pray.

"_Lord, maybe I haven't really sought You in the past like I should have, but I really, really, really could use Your help right about now, especially since all of Your creation may depend on what I do next_."

Suddenly, a scintillating circle of multicolored energy appeared before them all, so intensely bright that they could barely look at it without hurting their eyes. Within the circle was a gently glowing human form, not only one that they had not seen for some time, but one that they never thought they would ever have had the pleasure of seeing again. The form began to speak, and his ancient voice echoed throughout the shuttle.

"Perhaps I can offer a different perspective, Stoppable-san."

Ron stood transfixed in wonder.

"Sensei..."

_**TBC...**_


	21. Hope Renewed

_At long last, the waiting is over! Questions answered! Endless proofing and re-writing completed! Reviews responded to! And the promise that no naked mole rats were harmed during the writing of this chapter... _

_And a giant Booyah to all who have continued to follow our heroes and villains alike, especially my ever-faithful and ever-patient reviewers: levi2000a1, CajunBear73, pbow, Bookworm Gal, Eddy13, Katsumara, Sentinel103, Jimmy1201, Linzerj, and Tito Mosquito. So read on to discover the fate of our gallant heroines and the challenge that faces those who love them..._

* * *

Everyone gazed in awe at the former Headmaster of Yamanouchi, who now floated mystically before them. Terrified, Dr. Drakken whispered, "Who is _that_?"

Ron cringed in fright at the unexpected apparition. "Uh, an old friend, I think. And hopefully an answer to prayer. Either that, _or else it's_ _the Ghost of Christmas Past_!"

Sensei gently laughed. "No Stoppable-san. But if I understand the reference, perhaps a spirit of the present?"

Still terrified, Ron queried, "Sensei, uh, pardon me for asking, but I thought you were... d-dead?"

His reply echoed eerily throughout the shuttle's cabin. "That is still true, Stoppable-san."

Everyone backed up a few steps at that revelation.

"But although my body has gone to ground, my eternal spirit still lives on."

Ron broke out in goosebumps. "Then why have you returned? Not to haunt us, I hope!"

A few cheerleaders fearfully pressed themselves back up against the bulkhead at the thought.

Tara whispered, "I hope this isn't going to turn into a replay of when we got stranded at Camp Wannaweep…"

Hope whispered back, "You can say _that _again. That totally creeped me out. Seeing Barkin turned into a mutated duck was bad enough. But up here there's nowhere for us to run."

Sensei smiled back, "No, Stoppable-san, I am not here to haunt you. And you may assure Hope that I am not here to mutate anyone, either."

Hope didn't know whether to be relieved by that assurance, or to be scared out of her wits that Sensei had somehow overheard her.

"I am here to bring you a message. A message from beyond."

Ron still looked spooked, but Yori appeared overjoyed.

"Sensei, it is so good to see you again! But it is quite unexpected. How have you managed to accomplish such a feat?"

He smiled back with an inscrutable look. "I have given my solemn word not to reveal the wherewithal of my return, my dearest Yori-chan, so I am afraid that will need to remain a mystery for the moment. But suffice it to say that I had… considerable help."

Smiling even wider, Sensei turned to address Ron. "Stoppable-san, I am here with good news. Your wife, Kim Possible, still lives."

Ron yelled out a mighty "Booyah!" while everyone gasped in delight at the absolute confirmation.

"And Shego as well, Drakken-san. Or do you go by Drew-san these days?"

The former mad scientist mumbled back, "Er, you can call me anything you want, just as long as Shego is still among the land of the living."

Ron quickly asked, "But where are they exactly? We just saw them disappear into that gorchy black hole just a while ago."

Sensei closed his eyes, as if he were communing with something, or someone. "I understand that they are in place where the normal rules of space and time do not exist. At least, not yet..."

_A few minutes before..._

Kim awoke as if from a dream. The first thing she noticed was how deathly quiet it was. She carefully opened her eyes, which quickly adjusted to the emergency lighting. She tried to lift her head, but a wave of nausea hit her instead.

"Ooh. I better not try _that_ again." She opened her eyes wider and tried to focus on the person sitting in the seat next to her.

"Shego, are you all right?"

Her raven-haired cousin stirred slightly. "Ugh. Did you get the license number of that bus that just hit us?"

Kim smiled in spite of her queasiness. "Nope, sorry. But the fact that we're even having this conversation means we're still alive."

"Small consolation, considering how my stomach feels right about now..."

She made a quick grab for an airsick bag, immediately emptying her previous meal into it.

"You're looking a little greener than usual, Shego. But I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that I'm not doing much better."

Shego smiled in spite of herself. "Thanks, Kimmie. That actually helps."

Now feeling a little stronger, Shego stared out of the front observation window of the Kepler. "Kim, just where in the hell are we? And where did all of the stars go?"

Total blackness stretched out to infinity before them. Not even a single speck of light could be seen.

"I don't know, Shego. But we're sure not in Kansas anymore. Let's start with what the last thing Sadie said before we appeared here, wherever the heck that is."

"Yeah, I think she said something about a dimensional vortex appearing, along with our hyperlight drive imploding."

Kim flipped a switch. "Sadie, do you have any clue to where we are?"

Sadie only replied with a few snippets of garbled speech. Kim adjusted a few dials to see if she could get a clearer response, but when that failed, she tried a reboot of the entire computer system. She frowned as the readout began to display only basic computer functions.

"Looks like Sadie's only operating in safe mode at the moment, but at least her circuits aren't completely fried. Let's see what our instruments can tell us."

But that simply added to her confusion. The indicators were fluctuating wildly, giving her fantastically contradictory readings.

"This can't be right. Our velocity indicator says we're traveling at exactly the speed of light, but if our engine imploded, how could we be going so fast? And why didn't we get vaporized in the process?"

She looked down again at the instruments. "And ahead of us, the temperature is absolute zero, but behind us, the temperature is over a billion degrees."

"A billion degrees? You can't be serious, Kimmie! Nothing is that hot!"

One corner of her mouth slyly turned up. "Well, excepting _me _of course."

Kim groaned. "Well, aren't _we _feeling much better, now? And a little full of ourselves as well?"

Shego gave a small shrug. "Hey, it's how I cope, Kimmie."

But after activating the rear viewer, they both gasped in amazement at the nightmarish vision that met their eyes. A phantasmagoric scene flowed just behind the stern of the Kepler IV, looking every bit like some bizarre combination of scenes from both _Dante's Inferno_ and _2001: A Space Odyssey_. Clouds of blazing white-hot plasma reached out for them like gossamer fingers intent on grabbing the Kepler.

Shego gasped, "What in the hell is that?"

Kim gazed in wonder at the fiery maelstrom. "Yeah, I think hell is a pretty good description of whatever that is, Shego."

Kim immediately recalled yet another of Mr. Barkin's boring lectures, this one regarding the temperature of the universe just as it was being born.

"_Current theories about how the universe began usually start with a singularity, a black hole of such incredible density that its temperature was unimaginably hot, perhaps in the trillions of degrees."_

_Ron spoke up with one of his usual inane questions. "Uh, just how dense are we talking, Mr. B?"_

_The instructor gave him a long-suffering look. "Well, Stoppable, apparently about as dense as the gray matter inside your head." _

_He continued even more sarcastically, "That is, if you don't have some kind of black hole between your ears already."_

_The class giggled in laughter as Ron began to turn beet red._

"_Anyway, as the newly born universe continued to quickly expand, it also began to rapidly cool. Within the first few minutes, it had dropped down to a relatively mere one billion degrees. And yes, you WILL be tested on this..."_

Kim instantly jumped out of her seat. "Oh my gosh! It can't possibly be..."

"What is it, Kimmie?"

Kim remained silent for a moment. Then she began slowly, "Shego, have you ever heard of the Big Bang?"

She snorted in response. "Yeah, that's what my first boyfriend nicknamed our very first time, when I finally gave in and I lost my…"

Kim's eyes went wide with shock. "No, Shego! Get your mind out of the gutter, please and thank you? I'm talking about the Big Bang _theory."_

"Oh, you mean the sitcom? But we were never trapped in that particular show by the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer, were we?"

Kim exhaled in exasperation as she wondered if some of Ron's cluelessness hadn't somehow rubbed off on Shego.

"No, as in the beginning of the universe. The VERY beginning."

Shego's pale green skin paled even further as she finally caught Kim's drift. "Kim, you can't possibly mean…"

"I _do_ mean. I don't think our accident has only hurled us through space, I think we've traveled through time as well. Back to the absolute beginning of space _and_ time. I think we've just witnessed the actual birth of the entire spankin' universe."

Shego's jaw dropped open. "Holy crap…"

"But there's one way I can confirm that for sure. When that comet granted me my new abilities, I found that I could precisely measure the distance between me and distant moons, planets and stars. Let me see if I can locate anything at all in the direction we're going."

She closed her eyes and stretched out with her mind. After a minute of intense concentration she again opened her eyes.

"There's nothing in front of us as far as my abilities can read. And I mean _ab__solutely_ nothing: not even so much as a speck of dust."

"But for just how far? There's got to be _something_ out there somewhere."

Kim closed her eyes again, her face contorting with the extreme effort. This time several minutes passed before she opened them again. "Try nothing for a few billion light years, Shego."

She looked back into the white hot cloud of expanding plasma behind them.

"Which means we just popped into being somewhere back there."

Shego stared back at her with dumbfounded look.

"Uh, Kimmie, do you think that maybe…"

She thumbed a black glove at the chaotic turbulence roiling behind them. "..._we _caused that?"

"You mean, was our accidental appearance here somehow responsible for creating the entire universe? Whoa, that's a totally mind-blowing thought. The Big Bang caused... by us? And now we're apparently caught on the edge of that shock wave, being hurled into an absolute void by the initial explosion."

She let out a slow breath. "I know I've saved the world quite a few times, but I never thought I'd play a part in bringing it into existence in the first place."

They continued to stare at the incredible vision behind them for a few more moments before Shego finally concluded, "Well, wherever we are or however it happened, we're here now. Now, how do we get back home?"

"Well, that's the million dollar question, isn't it?"

Kim closed her eyes and began to concentrate once again, this time intent on broadcasting a mental message on a wavelength that only a certain Mystical Monkey Master could hear.

"_Ron? Can you hear me? Ron! We're still alive! Can you sense my thoughts?_"

But no matter how hard she tried, there was no response.

"I... I can't seem to reach Ron."

Shego snorted back, "Well, if we really _are_ at the very beginning of time, that might explain your problem. Our own time frame won't exist for at least another few billion years."

"Yeah, 13.75 billion to be exact."

A sarcastic look appeared on Shego's face. "Really? And just how did you figure that? Another one of your amazing powers?"

Kim shrugged back, "Nah, an extra credit question I missed on one of Barkin's quizzes back in high school."

Shego frowned back, "Well then, I guess we have a lot of time to kill..."

Kim muttered, "Wow. Stranded in space _and _time. At least when Ron and Drakken were kidnapped, we had a pretty good idea where they'd been taken. But now, I doubt anyone has the slightest idea of where, or even _when_ we are. Shego, I'm afraid that we may completely and totally on our own. And if we can't find our way back somehow, this may be a permanent sitch for both of us."

They were both silent for a few moments as the import of that statement sunk in.

"That's just great, Princess. You mean we're stuck together in this ship with each other, like, forever?"

Kim replied with a wan smile. "That's not a particularly pleasant thought for me either, but didn't you tell me once you wanted to get away from it all?"

She grimly replied, "Yeah, but not like _this_." She spoke up to no one in particular. "I officially take it back!"

"Well, I think I should start by checking out our engines to see what type of damage we've sustained. In the meantime, see if you can get Sadie back on line."

She sighed back, "Aye, aye, Captain Kimmie."

Kim quickly made her way to the engine compartment. What met her eyes was a bizarre sight.

An access panel right next to the engine hung open, from which multicolored tendrils of ghostly light were emanating from a small, cylindrical device. The tiny iridescent wisps were in turn being sucked into a rapidly rotating whirlpool of deepest black which now surrounded the Kimpossiblity drive.

"Well, that seems to be the source of our problem now, doesn't it? The Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer. I was wondering when this thing was going to rear up its ugly head again."

As Kim reached out to take a closer look at the device, an arc of energy lanced out and hit her directly on the forehead. She let out a tiny yelp of pain as her vision began to blur. She felt suddenly lightheaded, and grabbed a support bar to steady herself.

"Whoa, what the heck was that? Maybe it has some kind of ferocious self-defense mechanism now?"

But a moment later her vision returned to normal. She immediately activated her comm unit.

"Shego? I think you should come take a look at this."

Shego swiftly unbuckled her seat harness and entered the engine room.

She frowned and offhandedly remarked, "Ooh. Pretty colors."

"Yeah. And do you recognize this thing?"

Shego sadly nodded. "Yup. It looks like the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer."

"Exactly. I guess WarRaptor planned on destabilizing our hyperlight engine with it, hoping it would blow up. It seems to have imploded instead, sending us on our current little trip back in time. And now there's just a wrongsick black hole swirling around where our engine used to be."

"Uh, Kim? If that's the case, why aren't we getting sucked into it ourselves?"

"That's a good question. Maybe those filaments of energy coming out of the PDVI are stabilizing the engine somehow. Just don't get too close to it. I got hit by some kind of shock when I tried to take a closer look myself."

As she continued to glare at the device, Shego swore under her breath and growled, "Kim, if we ever get out of this, can we just drop it into the nearest sun? That damn thing has probably caused us more problems than all of Drew's other doomsday devices combined!"

Kim nodded. "You've got _that_ right. Now, how do we reverse it?"

Using her heightened senses, she took a long, close look at the colorful emanations.

"These wisps of energy are more than just what meets the eye. I'm sensing wavelengths throughout the entire electromagnetic spectrum. And I'm also detecting some ferocious sub-atomic quantum fluctuations as well."

"Whoa, there, Cupcake. A little less geek-speak if you don't mind? You're starting to sound just like Nerdlinger."

"Sorry, Shego. Besides its dimensional abilities that we've both grown to know and love, it's also giving off waves of temporal displacement. Simply put, the PDVI has turned the Kepler into a time machine."

Shego scoffed, "_A time machine_? Have you lost your mind, Princess? I think you've seen one too many of those Captain Constellation episodes your dad likes so much."

But Kim simply shrugged. "Yeah, but we're here, aren't we?"

Shego crossed her arms in irritation. "Okay, granted that something weird is going on here, but just how do we stop it and get back home?"

"Another good question. But I have no idea how or why it's doing what it's doing, or how to control it."

Shego snorted. "Too bad we don't have the number of the Nerd Squad handy. But I don't suppose they make any interdimensional house calls."

She continued with a chuckle. "Yeah, so I guess what we really need is... a quantum mechanic!"

Kim gave her a gentle roll of her eyes. "Very cute, Shego."

However, the wheels inside her head immediately started to spin. "But come to think of it, that's not such a bad idea after all."

Shego raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean, if a shrink myself down to an infinitely small size, say, even as far as the sub-atomic level, I may be able to figure out what's really going on and repair the damage. I'd actually _be_ a quantum mechanic!"

Shego looked unconvinced. "I was really just joking, Kim. And what you're suggesting sounds pretty dangerous. Have you ever tried shrinking yourself that small before?"

"Uh, not actually. But I don't see that I have any other choice."

"Well, how about if we just try to turn the PDVI off? One concentrated blast of plasma should disable the thing, no sweat."

"Yeah, but what if that just stops us dead in space? Once that Big Bang catches up with us, that would burn us to a crisp quicker than Ron's microwave set on 'nuke.' Or even worse, what if it unleashes that black hole where our engine used to be and crushes us into our component atoms?"

"Hmm, good point. But if you get stuck somehow, you know I can't possibly rescue you. Then we're both sunk."

Kim shivered at the thought. "Okay, so maybe I'll consider that as a back-up plan. But first, let's see if we can get Sadie working again. Maybe she can suggest something we haven't thought of yet."

As she continued to stare into the singularity, Kim had another thought. "But I want to try once more and see if I can't reach Ron somehow."

Shego added hopefully, "And maybe Drew?"

"Yeah. I'm sure they're afraid we're both dead, but if I know Ron, he won't give up that easily."

"But how can we possibly contact them? Nothing can escape the gravity of a black hole, not even light."

"True, but maybe the mental connection I share with Ron can somehow bridge the gap. He's been able to contact me even from the astral plane, so who knows? Mental powers may not be affected by a black hole's crushing gravity. And if this thing's giving off waves of temporal displacement, our original time frame may be just on the other side of it. So if there's any chance at all I can let them know that we're both still alive..."

"Anything I can do to help then?" Shego volunteered. "I may not have either your freaky powers or the Ronster's monkey-powered mental mojo, but I have just as much at stake in this as you do. And I'm sure that they'd try anything to reach _us._"

Kim responded hopefully. "You're right. I know they both would. At least, I _hope_ they would."

Shego cocked an eyebrow at Kim's curious comment, while Kim continued to observe the wisps of energy flowing into the black hole. She suddenly snapped her fingers as she was struck with an idea.

"Hey, if matter is being sucked into that thing, it might be coming out the other side back in our _own_ reality. So let's try this: fire up your plasma close enough to allow some of it to get sucked into the engine, and concentrate on an image of Drakken. I'll do the same and focus on Ron, and replicate myself in order to enhance the effect."

Shego looked dubious. "Uh, okay. But how do you expect that to work?"

"Something I overheard from my dad once while he was blathering about wormholes. Either that, or else a residual memory of a Captain Constellation episode. Anyway, we just survived being sucked into a black hole. And if this thing's actually a conduit back to the other side, it might be possible for us to send a message back across, even if it's just some of our plasma."

Shego gently scratched her chin in thought. "Uh, not that I'm suggesting that we try it right away, but is it possible we could make that trip ourselves?"

"Possibly. But not without a lot more testing first. If we miscalculated, we'd be so dead."

Shego shivered at the thought. "Roger that, Kimmie."

Kim took a deep breath. "Okay then. Let's do this."

Kim glowed red as she replicated herself into as many Kims as would fit within the tiny engine compartment. Each Kim then fired up a flicker of green plasma, joined quickly by Shego's own iridescent power. Wisps of green mingled with tendrils of red and were swiftly sucked into the swirling vortex, as they both concentrated on reaching through the hellish singularity.

Kim immediately gasped in surprise. For a fleeting moment, she sensed her husband's warm presence on the other side of that swirling hole of deepest black. She desperately tried to reach out with her mind across the infinitely vast gulf that separated them.

"_Ron! Can you hear me? It's Kim! I'm right here! Shego and I are still alive! Can you respond?_"

Her hope buoyed as she immediately sensed another presence, that of a naked mole rat.

"_Rufus? Is that you?"_

But then she felt a third presence as well. A familiar female presence.

"Yori!"

Kim had yelled her name out loud, and the surprise broke her concentration. The tenuous thread of thought and mind was instantly broken. She desperately tried to regain contact, but it was too late. The all too brief link was gone.

As she reassimilated herself, she posed the question, "But how could Yori be there?"

Shego queried, "You mean that Ninja babe that helped us defeat Zorpox?"

Kim recalled the unique mental melding that they had nicknamed Yoronfus, which they used to defeat Ron's evil alter ego the year before. Had they now reunified themselves to seek out the lost pair? Or could there be another reason? She had briefly sensed a pleasant feeling emanating from Ron. One of peace, of acceptance. Or was it contentment? And was Kim the source, or could it be...

Doubt began to creep into her mind. What if they had already given up on her and Shego? What if Ron, in a moment of deep grief over her loss, had contacted Yori, and...

She shook her head to clear her mind of that pernicious thought.

"_Whoa. This is no time to be jellin' over Yori. I am SO over that. At least I think I am_..."

Shego carefully asked, "Kim, what is it?"

Kim brusquely responded, "I think we better get that computer up and running."

And with that, Kim stormed out of the compartment, slamming the hatch behind her.

Shego was taken aback by Kim's sudden mood change. Was that determination she had seen in her cousin's eyes, or was it something else? Perhaps a dash of anger, for whatever reason. She promised herself she would ask Kim about it later, but not right now.

"_First the computer, then I'll try to deal with whatever just happened_...

* * *

A few minutes later, James and Ron were involved in an intense discussion.

"Ronald, I'm a scientist. And as such, I base my beliefs and decisions on what I can empirically detect with my five senses. But this goes waaay beyond the norm for me. When science fiction threatens to become science fact, I'm understandably quite skeptical. Are you sure you trust this... this apparition?"

Ron replied with absolute certainty, "With my life, Mr. Dr. P. Now that we know they're both alive, that settles it for me. I've got to try and rescue them. And if I can do it quickly enough, Team Possible might still be able to pull a rabbit out of its hat and stop those asteroids."

James finally relented. "All right, if that's your decision, then you've got to go as soon as possible. Every second that passes decreases your chances of rescuing either them _or_ the Earth."

Both Bonnie and Mr. Barkin looked as if they might disagree, but the stern looks they got from everyone else quickly prevented them from voicing any negative opinion.

"So then, the first task is how to get you safely through that black hole."

"Well, if Kim and Shego survived their little trip, then I should be able to as well, right?"

James cautiously replied, "Hypothetically, yes. But we have no idea what the conditions are like on the other side. Kim and Shego had the Kepler, but let's be practical. I can't just launch you into that thing on a wing and a prayer, with no protection whatsoever."

"Well, I'm sure my Mystical Monkey Power could help protect me. At least, I hope it would." He heaved a deep sigh. "Too bad I didn't have the SL Coupe. That would have been totally coolio."

The Empress spoke up. "Warmonga has an idea. She would be overjoyed to lend you one of this ship's escape pods. That would afford you more than ample protection from whatever environment you should find on the other side."

Ron looked hopeful. "Well, that's one problem solved. But would I be able to contact anyone back on this side once I'm through?"

James slowly shook his head back and forth. "If so, I think we would have heard from Kim and Shego by now, so I seriously doubt it. You'd be completely on your own. And assuming you survive the crossing, there's no guarantee that you'd be able to simply return the way you came. It might still end up being a one-way trip, Ronald."

Sensei then weighed in. "Although it will be a challenge, Stoppable-san, I believe that by using my abilities, I will at least be able to act as your communications conduit. I am here, am I not? And several layers of existence away from your present physical reality, which is quite a feat. Booyah."

Everyone smiled at Sensei's use of Ron's tag line.

James queried, "Yes, but for how long? Your appearance here is nothing short of miraculous. What if you suddenly disappear at a critical moment?"

Sensei looked up, as if he were silently conversing with someone. "Admittedly, I do not know for certain. However, I strongly suspect that I will remain here... just long enough."

Growing increasingly frustrated, Steve Barkin finally spoke up, a tinge of anger in his voice. "You _suspect_? You _believe_? For cripes sake, the fate of the Earth is hanging in the balance, people!"

Yori interjected, her mellifluous voice speaking calmly but firmly. "This is indeed true, Barkin-san. But we have faced similar unusual challenges in the past, and have always persevered until victory was achieved. I have utmost confidence in Stoppable-san that success will be the result this time as well."

Mr. Barkin sneered back, "Well, I'll just be happy when this is all over."

"_One way or another_," he grimly thought to himself.

James made another careful check of his instruments. "Well, the good news is that that thing out there seems relatively stable at the moment. And although its gravity is quite strong, it's not nearly as powerful as I would expect a black hole to be. And considering the wisps of matter that we've seen escape from it, I've almost positive that this is actually a wormhole of some kind."

Tara gushed, "Ooh, really? But if it's a wormhole, then where's the apple?"

Everyone groaned in unison.

Ron quickly filled her in. "Tara, a wormhole is just a corridor in space between two really, really, _really_ distant locations. Just like where we are, and, uh, where we hope Kim and Shego are. Right, Mr. B?"

Steve Barkin growled back, "Yes, Stoppable. And that was the _only_ extra credit question you got right on your physics final, by the way."

James continued, "But we won't know for sure until you go through it. The proof is in the pudding, as they say."

Ron set his jaw in determination. "Well then, I better get started."

A tiny _ahem_ was heard. Ron looked down into the eyes of a frowning naked mole rat, who mentally communicated his concern about being left behind.

"_Forgetting someone, Ron?_"

Ron gave his close friend a look of deep concern. "Sorry, Rufus. But I didn't want to just volunteer you without asking first, because this might be really dangerous. And come to think of it, I'd actually feel a lot better if you stayed here out of harm's way, where it's nice and safe."

He continued with a trace of a smile, "Besides, I have no idea if there's any cheese where we're going."

But Rufus grabbed onto Ron's ankle and squeezed hard, loudly insisting, "Coming with you!"

Ron finally relented. "All right, little buddy, you can come along. Besides Kim, there's no one else I'd rather risk life and limb with. But only if you're absolutely sure."

"And that goes for me as well."

Everyone turned to stare at Drakken.

"I'm coming with you too."

Ron's eyes popped wide open.

"Dr. D, I don't even know for sure if _I'm_ going to survive this wrongsick trip! It's too risky, dude! One of us maybe, but both of us? Besides, if I don't make it back, _somebody_ has got to try and save the planet."

Drakken cackled sarcastically, "Of course! My mutagenic powers are _more _than enough to ensnare a huge asteroid swarm."

He gave a gentle shrug. "It's just that I'm not sure what I'd do with them _after _I caught them..."

The youthful Monkey Master couldn't help but smile as Drakken continued.

"Besides, I'd rather die trying to rescue Shego than just sitting here wondering for the rest of my life what really happened. She risked her pretty little neck for both of us last year, right along with Kimberly Ann. I owe them both at least that much."

He paused just long enough to shoot him a smug look. "Oh, and by the way, I happen to know how to operate a Lorwardian escape pod. You don't."

Ron sighed as he threw up his hands in defeat. "All right, all right, you've convinced me, Doc. But only on one condition."

"What's that?"

Ron gave him a stern look. "You don't forget my name again. Ever."

This time it was the former mad scientist who smiled.

"Then I believe we have a deal, _Ron_."

Warmonga spoke up. "The escape pod is prepped, O Great Blue. Or should I say, Great _Blues_."

Yori looked hopefully at the trio, and bowed to each in turn. "Good luck, Ron-san, Rufus-san. And to you as well, Drakken-san. May my disturbing vision be only one of warning, and not one of unalterable prophecy."

As they both boarded the pod, Sensei warmly intoned, "Yes, Godspeed to you both. In the meantime, I shall endeavor to serve as a link between you and those who remain here. May you succeed in your task and return with your wives, safe and sound."

Everyone quickly voiced their agreement, even Bonnie and Steve Barkin.

As Ron closed the hatch behind them, Drakken rapidly flipped a few switches and made a final systems check. He smiled in satisfaction as all the indicator lights shone a pale green, and gave a wistful sigh as he noticed that their hue was little different from the shading of Shego's tender skin.

"_We're coming for you, Shego. Please stay alive, my dearest..._"

Confident that everything was set, he announced, "All systems are nominal, Ron. Ready for launch."

"All right then, Dr. D. Here goes nothing."

Drakken ejected the pod and headed toward the black hole. As they began to approach it, the former villain broke out in a cold sweat. "I just hope we don't squeezed _into_ nothing. I know Shego's been after me to lose some weight, but this would be a bit extreme..."

Back on the Imperial shuttle, James watched expectantly as everyone held their collective breath. He turned to Mr. Barkin, who sat restlessly beside him.

"Steve, I've always kidded Ronald about sending him into a black hole, but now that it's really happening, I'm realizing that this is no laughing matter."

Barkin frowned back, "They may be damned fools for flying into that thing, but I do have to hand it to them for their courage. I just hope it doesn't cost us the world if they don't succeed, or else I will _personally _launch Stoppable a year's worth of extra homework!"

As the two hopeful rescuers approached the singularity, they noted that tiny iotas of particulate matter were being sucked into the dark hole, flashing into minute sparkles of colorful effervescence as they hit it.

"Uh, Ron? You don't think we're going to just fizzle into so much space dust when we pass through that thing, do you?"

Ron answered with a look of determination. "Not if I can help it, Dr. D. I'm not called the Mystical Monkey Master for nothing, ya know."

Ron closed his eyes and began to concentrate. As his body's blue glow increased in intensity, he stretched out with his unique power, enveloping their tiny craft in a protective mystical bubble, now glowing brightly like a shiny sapphire in deep space.

Drakken carefully maneuvered the pod closer to the black hole, slowing it to only a few feet per second.

"Almost there..."

Ron tried to send one final thought into the inky black object that hung before them. "_Kim, if you can hear me, we're on our way. And we'll bring you both back, safe and sound, I promise..."_

As the pod connected with the black hole, it instantly began to stretch lengthwise, folded in upon itself, and disappeared.

_**TBC...**_


	22. Into the Unknown

_A Happy New Year to all, and welcome to the next exciting installment, as Ron, Rufus and Drakken set out on their desperate mission seek out Kim and Shego, while Earth's fate hangs in the balance. _

_Mucho thanks for all those who have patiently awaited my irregular updates, and especially to those who have chimed in with their comments and reviews: Eddy13, levi2000a1, temporaryinsanity91, Linzerj, CajunBear73, Jimmy1201, Sentinel103, Bookworm Gal, Oreochema, Katsumara and TitoMosquito._

___But first, let's see what Wade and General Sims are up to while they await news of Ron's rescue attempt… _

* * *

Back on Earth, the first of Mr. Dr. P's two nuclear-tipped missiles had been launched without a hitch. Several days later, it was rapidly approaching its first target, the moon of Deimos, which was closing rapidly with the Earth at nearly 100 kilometers per second. General Sims and the Joint Chiefs of Staff huddled together in their Washington DC headquarters, while at the Middleton Observatory, Wade and Dr. Robert Chen anxiously awaited the missile's rendezvous along with several other research associates.

Wade had set up a two-way televisor for instant video contact between the groups, as well as patching in a third feed directly from an automatic camera in the missile's nose. As it recorded its approach to Deimos, the huge misshapen moon grew ever larger as the minutes ticked by. Everyone waited in expectant silence, General Sims nervously biting his lip as the moment of truth rapidly approached.

Wade whispered, "How much longer?"

Dr. Chen whispered back, "Less than a minute now…"

The general muttered, "I sure hope this works."

The seasoned astronomer tried to sound confident. "We'll find out in just a few more seconds."

The missile was programmed to detonate at precisely five miles above the Martian moon's surface, with the hope of deflecting it just enough to cause it to miss the Earth. He began the final countdown.

"Five… four… three… two… one…"

The missile exploded in a terrific fireball, brighter than a hundred suns. At the moment of detonation, one of the research associates was looking through Mt. Middleton's powerful 100-inch telescope, specially modified for viewing the explosion and filtering out most of the brilliantly intense light. Even so, the huge flash was nearly blinding.

"Wow! That was totally awesome! Nothing could have survived that!"

Dr. Chen scoffed, "May I remind you that the goal is to _deflect_ it, not _obliterate_ it?"

General Sims anxiously asked, "Well? Was it successful?"

Wade quickly replied, "We'll know in just a few minutes, General. Just as soon as the residual nuclear cloud dissipates enough for radar waves to penetrate through it."

As the data began pouring in, General Sims cracked a smile and quipped, "Well, to quote Ms. Possible, what's the sitch, Wade?"

Wade bristled at the general's use of Kim's catchphrase, but carefully held his anger in check. Instead, he tried to concentrate on the computer readout as it began to compile the mountains of information in an effort to determine what, if anything, had actually happened. After a few moments he looked up, but the look on his face immediately conveyed the negative result.

"Bad news, General. That Lorwardian gravitic weapon must have weakened the physical bonds of Deimos, which apparently weren't that stable to begin with. Instead of deflecting it, the nuclear device has fractured the moon into several thousand smaller objects. We were afraid that this might happen, as Deimos has long been suspected of being just an aggregation of loose rock, dust and ice compressed by countless cosmic collisions over untold millennia."

However, Dr. Chen was a little more upbeat at the news. "But this almost certainly proves the theory that the moons of Mars were formed by accretion, rather than being merely asteroids captured by Mars' gravitational field! I smell a Nobel Prize in Physics in my future…"

The general glowered back, "That's assuming that there's even anyone left on Earth to award you your prize once those asteroids hit, Dr. Chen."

"Yes, of course," the astronomer softly replied, his inflated ego having been taken down a few notches by the general's rebuff.

"So then, it's death by shotgun blast as opposed to an artillery shell. Right, Wade?"

Wade sadly nodded. "I'm afraid so, General."

"Well, we still have one more chance with the MIRV-tipped missile."

Wade raised a curious eyebrow. "Merv? As in Merv Griffin?"

The general laughed at the unintended comic relief. "No, MIRV, as in 'multiple independently-targetable reentry vehicle.' The next missile we're firing has twelve warheads, and we'll hit that asteroid swarm over its entire length and breadth with more firepower than anything else in history. And if that doesn't stop them, then God help us."

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff interjected, "But we're only putting off the inevitable, unless Kim Possible is able to return in time and save us. Mr. Load, any word from either her or that husband of hers?"

Wade had kept in close touch with Kim's dad and knew exactly what was happening, but didn't want to reveal the desperate details.

"Uh, Ron and Dr. Drakken are currently engaged in the rescue mission. We should have some idea of their success within the next day or so."

The chairman simply nodded in acknowledgement, fully able to read between the lines of Wade's intentionally vague reply.

"Well, if Kim doesn't make it back soon, I suppose that nothing we're doing at the moment will ultimately matter. Even if we somehow destroy what remains of Deimos, there's still Phobos plus three more asteroids right on their heels."

He turned to address General Sims. "Any word on the deployment of Dr. Flanner's Kinematic Continuum Disruptor?"

At last, the general smiled, finally having some positive news to report. "Yes. It's just been loaded into the Space Shuttle Endeavour and will be ready for launch within twenty-four hours. And the MIRV-tipped missile will be ready for firing within twelve. With a little luck, we may buy ourselves at least another day's grace."

The chairman nodded. "Well then, let's hope those attempts will be a little more successful than what we've just witnessed. We're rapidly running out of time."

Wade looked out of the window and up into the night sky. He silently asked, "_Kim, where are you? Please hurry…_"

* * *

Shego absentmindedly filed her claws as Kim ran diagnostic after diagnostic on the computer system.

"Are you sure you don't need any help, Princess?"

Kim shook her head no, but that only made her sudden headache worse. Her usual pride prevented her from asking for any help, and she promised herself to show no weakness, especially in front of Shego. But the more she tried to concentrate, the more her head continued to pound.

"No, I think I've got it, please and thank you. Besides, it'll keep my mind off of… other things."

Shego continued to gently push. "And exactly what other things are those, Kim? C'mon, this is your cousin you're talking to here, not some arch-criminal probing an enemy's weak spot."

Kim winced at that comment, wondering if Shego was really just trying to lure her into a false sense of security. But she remained tight-lipped as she continued to work. Finally, with one final push of a button, she let out a long sigh of relief.

"Okay, I've reformatted Sadie's hard drive and run a defrag. I'm now reloading her saved memory, so with a little luck, Sadie should be up and running again in just a few minutes. Then maybe she can clue us in about what's going on."

"Super. Now, do you mind telling me what that little hissy fit was that you threw back there? That actually looked more like something that _I _would do in a fit of pique."

Kim's fair skin began to blush before she could control her reaction. "Sorry, Shego. I just got a weird feeling as we were trying to send out our little SOS a few minutes ago. You remember Yori, right?"

"Yeah, the Ninja babe that helped us defeat Zorpox last year. Good in a fight, and with some real spooky insight into the human psyche. She really can see right through you about what makes you tick."

Kim gave a tiny snort. "Yeah, you're not kidding. What you don't know is that she had quite a crush on Ron before he and I started dating. And I got this real weird vibe that she was somehow present on the other side, and that Ron seemed pretty happy about it. If they think I'm dead, I can't help but think she might step into that emotional vacuum and…"

Shego held up a gloved hand. "Whoa! Whoa! You're scared that the Ronster and Ninja Babe will hook up before they're even certain of our fate? Kim, what kind of paranoid schizo are you turning into, anyway?"

She glared back at her green-skinned cousin. "It's not like it sounds, so just hear me out, Shego. Yori's been in my mind just like she has with Ron. And she couldn't hide the fact from me that she still loved him, at least at that time, a year ago now. But at least she 'fessed up and even said that she still felt I was Ron's destiny. But if they think I'm out of the picture now, I'm sure she figures that all bets are off."

Shego couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Kim, get a grip! Believe me, it would take a lot more than some lousy black hole to get Ron to give up on you. He's probably blindly diving into that singularity even as we speak. And knowing him, probably even without his space suit on."

Kim huffed, "Yeah, that actually sounds like something Ron would do. But when it comes to the ladies, I think I know Ron a little better than you, Shego."

Her voice became increasingly strident. "This isn't the first time that some hot babe has tried to hit on him, whether it be Bonnie, Tara, Zita, or Amelia. And heaven knows who else?"

A chill went up Shego's spine at Kim's instant recall of anyone that ever had even the slightest passing interest in Ron. She held her breath as she waited for Kim's next inevitable remark.

Kim's eyes hooded slightly before she continued. "And I _also_ seem to recall a little incident between you and Ron a while back as well. It took him twelve stinkin' years to kiss me, but obviously neither of _you_ had any trouble waiting!"

Shego brought a fist down hard on the control panel. "Yeah, I just _knew_ you'd bring that up again, Princess! But that's ancient history now. And anyway, Drakken's verklemt Magnetronic Personality Analyzer was to blame, and you know it! For crying out loud, what's gotten into you anyway? I've never seen you go all freaky _this_ bad before, so what gives?"

Kim painfully rubbed her temples. "I'm… I'm sorry, Shego. I think that little shock I got from the PDVI must be messing with my mind somehow. I've never felt this way before."

Shego cautioned, "Yeah, well you better get a grip real quick, Cupcake. We've got a lot of work to do if we're ever going to find our way back home again."

Kim groused, "Yeah, but what'll we find once we get there? A wrecked Earth, and Ron in the arms of another woman…"

Shego gave her a terrific roll of her eyes. "Aw, for crying out loud, Kim! Would you cut it out before I have to…"

Her tirade was thankfully interrupted by several pleasant beeps, followed by a familiar, soothing voice.

"Hello Kim, Hello Shego. Thanks very much for getting me back online. It's quite a relief to be finally be back up and running, especially after being sabotaged like that."

Kim huffed, "You're telling me? Okay, Sadie, so what's the sitch, as far as you can tell?"

"First, let me correlate all of my automatic logs with our current sensor readings and compare them to those just before the accident. One moment, please."

Relays began to click as Sadie coordinated thousands of terabytes of information. Suddenly she exclaimed, "Wow! Did you two know that we've got a 900 million degree cloud of plasma pursuing us, roughly two Astronomical Units in diameter, and which is expanding at the speed of light?"

Shego laconically replied, "Yeah, tell us something we don't know."

If a computer could smile, Sadie would have at this moment.

"Okay, smart mouth, let's try this. Were you aware that we're no longer even in our own universe?"

Both females cried out in unison, "WHAT!?"

Kim babbled, "But I thought we had been transported somehow back to the beginning of time, and that somehow we were responsible for the Big Bang that started it all?"

"You're only half right, Kim. Our appearance here has indeed given birth to a totally new universe, but it's not ours. So congratulations! You're both the proud parents of a brand new _parallel_ universe."

Shego quipped, "Aw, and we didn't even have time for a baby shower. Maybe we can send out invitations to whatever aliens we come across instead."

But Kim was not amused. "That does it! When I finally catch up with WarRaptor, I'm going to fire a plasma burst so far up his behind that he'll have to remove his helmet to take a dump! And that slut Yori will be the next in line for stealing my Ronnie away!"

Shego shot back, "Okay, now I'm officially freaked out, Kim. I don't know exactly what that PDVI did to you, but you have definitely lost it. So please take a chill pill or something until I can find out from Sadie here how to get back to our own reality, okay?"

Fury in her eyes, Kim spat back, "Oh, no you don't! So you can do something sneaky behind my back and maybe get your _own_ claws into _my_ Ronnie the first chance you get? No way!"

Kim immediately fired up her plasma and fired a shot at Shego, which she barely ducked. Igniting her own plasma in self defense, she jumped out of her seat and assumed a defensive stance.

Her lithe body now ready for action, Shego warned, "That's enough, Kim. Stand down right now, or else."

But Kim instantly replicated herself into ten identical Kims, all with plasma charged to deadly intensity.

"Or else what, _bitch_?"

All the Kims began firing at point-blank range, forcing Shego to use her own plasma defensively to deflect each incoming bolt. She found herself being forced steadily back, continuing to give ground until she was completely out of the bridge area. Kim immediately palmed the door closed, following up with an intense beam of plasma which welded the door shut.

"There, _that_ oughta hold her. Okay, Sadie. Let's go home. My Ronnie is waiting, and God help any Lorwardian or Ninja Babe that gets in my way!"

Sadie warned, "But Kim, I haven't completed all the necessary calculations to see if we even _can_ return home to our own time. Any attempt to use our engines right now in any capacity might have disastrous results. We were lucky to avoid destruction once, but if you go off half-cocked like this, who knows where we'll end up?"

Kim's eyes narrowed in deadly earnest. "I don't care. We're going whether you like it or not, Sadie. And if you don't like it…"

Kim fired up a plasma-covered fist in warning. Sadie let out a frightened beep in response.

With teeth bared, Kim declared, "Get it? Got it? Good!"

Sadie sadly replied, "Whatever you say, Kim. You're the boss. But don't blame me if this doesn't work out the way you intend it to."

Kim snapped back, "One more word from you, Sadie, and so help me I'll shut you down for the duration of this mission!"

Sadie wisely remained silent. But a fierce pounding began on the other side of the cabin door, and Shego's muffled voice could be heard.

"Kim! Don't do it! Let's figure this out together before you do something we'll all regret!"

Kim grabbed the controls and activated the hyperlight drive. "Ronnie, here I come…"

"KIM!"

In a sudden brilliant multicolored flash of light, the Kepler wavered, then disappeared. Only a tiny black hole remained to mark where they had been only moments before, their new destination unknown.

Ironically at that very instant, the escape pod containing Ron, Rufus and Drakken popped into being. All three of the travelers groaned in pain as they carefully opened their eyes.

Ron whined, "Ya okay, Rufus? I don't know about you, but I feel totally crummy in the tummy!"

Both his tiny friend and the former mad scientist moaned as they clutched their queasy stomachs, but thankfully realized that they were all still very much alive.

Ron let out his breath in a quick whoosh and looked out of the front canopy. "Hey, Dr. D, I think we made it!"

Drakken wiped beads of sweat off his brow. "Yes, so it would seem. But where exactly is that?"

Rufus quickly danced on the sensor controls, bringing up their position in this new location of space. A soft blue blinking light in the center of the screen indicated their craft's position. But the naked mole rat immediately chattered a warning as something else appeared on the screen.

Ron blanched. "Uh-oh. Look what's right behind us."

The roiling cloud of super-hot plasma was rapidly approaching, bearing down on them at nearly the speed of light.

Drakken stuttered, "Uh, Ron? I don't know what that is, but it certainly doesn't look very friendly."

He looked down at the sensor readout. "And if we don't get out of its way, that thing will overtake us in less than five minutes."

"Then there's no time to waste." Ron immediately closed his eyes in concentration as he sent out a mental message.

"_Kim? Shego? Can you hear me? It's Ron! I'm here with Rufus and Drakken, and we're here to rescue you. Hello? Hello!_"

But the only mind he sensed was that of his old master, Sensei.

"_Stoppable-san. I sense that you have survived your passage through the anomaly. Are you able to respond?_"

"_Yes, Sensei. We made it through okay, but I don't sense Kim or Shego_. _At least not yet_."

Out loud he asked, "Any sign of the Kepler, Dr. D?"

Drakken growled back in frustration, "Nnngh. Sorry, but I'm not picking up anything in front of us. And I mean absolutely nothing. No stars, nebulae, anything. Nada. Zilch. Zip."

His shoulders slumped as he sadly intoned, "I think we're too late."

Ron swallowed hard, but still refused to give up. "But if the Kepler was wrecked somehow, we'd be picking up some kind of debris on the scanner, wouldn't we?"

Suddenly Rufus began to chatter furiously, pointing at a small spot on the screen.

Drakken announced, "Wait a minute, there's something about a hundred feet off of our port bow."

Drakken slowly and carefully maneuvered the pod toward the object. His eyes widened as he continued to study the readings he was receiving.

"Whatever it is, it apparently has no mass, but the gravimetric readings are almost off the scale. And it looks very much like the black hole we just passed through."

The mystical voice of Sensei intoned, "_Very nearly correct, Drakken-san. I believe this is what Kim-chan's father would classify as a wormhole. But this is a new anomaly, and I believe it was somehow created by the very ones you seek only moments ago._"

At that moment, a tiny flash of iridescent green appeared from out of the wormhole, evaporating instantly into the vacuum of space. Ron's hopes buoyed as he caught the briefest impression of Shego's face. But that hope began to fade when he failed to sense the presence of Kim as well. And the look on Shego's face in his mind's eye was etched in concern.

"Uh, oh. Not good. Not good at all. Sensei, can you tell what's happened? Sensei? Sensei!"

Ron's panic began to rise as Sensei's voice began to fade in and out of his mind.

"_Stoppable-san. I sense conflict beyond, but my impressions are limited by the incredible distances involved. For I perceive that not only physical distance separates us now, but that of time and dimension as well. If you proceed into that wormhole, any further contact may be beyond even my considerable abilities, and perhaps even of those who are assisting me_…"

Ron's mind began to spin. "What, are we entering some kind of wrongsick Twilight Zone episode now? Or maybe even the Outer Limits! And which version? The Original Series or the Redux? The later shows in color looked a lot better, but some of the plots were, well, kinda derivative, so…"

"_Focus, Stoppable-san_." Sensei's voice again began to trail off. "_If you return now, I can assist in your passage back. But you would irretrievably lose those you seek._"

Drakken whispered, "Uh, Ron?"

"_However, if you continue, you may still be able to rescue your beloved. But I cannot say for certain how much further I can assist, and you may find yourselves totally on your own. And if you cannot find a way to return, the Earth may be doomed, and all who live upon it_…"

Drakken spoke a little louder. "Ron? That plasma cloud is getting _really_ close…"

But Ron wasn't listening. "But Kim and Shego are both still okay, aren't they? Sensei? Sensei!"

But the master had now faded away completely. Rufus began to furiously tug on Ron's pants leg.

Ron looked down, finally back in the present. "Rufus? What is it, little buddy?"

The naked mole rat frantically pointed back toward the massive plasma cloud bearing down on them.

Drakken's voice wavered with stress. "What your little rodent friend is trying to tell you is that that thing will hit us in precisely thirty seconds. So do we go back, or do we take another chance and proceed through this new anomaly?"

Ron quickly weighed the risks. But all he could see in his mind's eye was a vision of Kim. His best friend, his lover, and his wife. He recalled his wedding vows: "_Until death do us part_…" And now she needed him, badly. And only he could save her now, lest the death part of his vows become sad reality.

His eyes narrowed, determination in his voice. "Do you even have to ask? I say we continue."

"_Uh-huh! Uh-huh!_" was Rufus' positive reply.

Drakken nodded in agreement. "That makes three of us, then. In for a penny, in for a pound as they say. Ron, your mystical powers if you please? And hurry…"

Ron began to extend his Mystical Monkey Power once again, enveloping the pod with its deep blue protective glow.

"All right, here we go again…"

Drakken eased the craft forward and into the new wormhole just seconds before the plasma wave hit, disappearing with a massive pop.

_**TBC...**_


	23. Descent

_Welcome to the next installment of my apocalyptic soap opera, as the PDVI's short circuit continues to plays havoc with the mind of our favorite redheaded world saver._

_My deep thanks to both my regular reviewers, and to a few new ones as well: Bookworm Gal, temporaryinsanity91, CajunBear73, Jimmy1201, Sentinel103, Eddy13, Krystalslazz, Oreochema, levi2001a1, beckman, holydemon00, and Linzerj. _

_And permit me to respond to two guest reviewers that I wasn't able to quickly enough before time was up. _

_Oreochema: Yes, whether well done or medium rare, everyone will eventually return to their point of origin. But don't expect that the trip will be without a few bumps along the way. So keep the faith, sister! _

_Beckman: Many thanks for both of your postings, and especially for your props on how I handle dialogue as well as Ron's basically random nature. But don't let yourself fall into the trap of thinking I equate Kim with Supergirl. In this story as well as in Across The Stars, Kim has used her brains at least as much as her powers. And although extraordinary, they haven't enabled her to solve literally every myriad mystery and challenge that's been thrown in her path. She's still very human, with all the strengths and foibles we've come to know and love. Remember also that the the 'girl who can do anything' was totally helpless before Warmonga and Warhok, and would have died at their hands had it not been for Ron stepping in with his own MMP in order to save her in the final episode of the series. Thus, I provided her with a nice dose of comet power to help level the playing field. But fear not, Ron won't be left out in the cold. For he will play not only a critical role in saving Kim, but the Earth as well. For we all know that with great power comes great responsibility, and... oops, sorry, that's another universe. _

_But 'nuff said for the moment. So press on, gentle readers. For it is always darkest before the dawn... _

* * *

Kim slowly became aware of her new surroundings. She looked up into a beautiful, cloudless sky of azure blue. As she relaxed, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, realizing exactly where she was. Somehow, she had made it back to Earth. But how? She smiled and gave an offhanded shrug, certain that she'd figure that out soon enough. A gentle breeze wafted through the air, and the warm sun felt good on her face. She looked down and noticed that the meadow she was standing in was full of colorful wildflowers which had just begun to bloom. She reached down and plucked one up, inhaling its delicious fragrance. But instead of its smell, she somehow tasted butterscotch instead.

"Whoa, freaky."

Suspecting the cause, she tried an experiment. Taking a small bite out of the flower, she carefully chewed it. This time though, she tasted nothing, but instead sensed the color yellow.

"Hmm. Synesthesia. I wonder if that's a byproduct of our dimensional jumps, or if it's..."

Kim heard a noise behind her and anxiously spun around. But her face broke into a wide grin of relief as a blond-haired young man entered the clearing out of the surrounding forest. Wearing his trademark red jersey and brown cargo pants, he began approaching her. Overjoyed, she rushed up to him in order to give him the biggest hug of his life.

"Ron! I've made it back to you! I knew I could do it! Because I'm a Possible, and as you know, nothing's impossible for a Possible, and..."

But she stopped in mid sentence, for the look on Ron's face was not that of gleeful recognition. He instead wore a wolfish grin, one that filled Kim with a sense of foreboding.

"Ron? What's wrong?"

Remaining silent, her husband stopped, continuing his wicked stare. Then from directly behind him, another figure appeared. Kim's eyes narrowed as she recognized the female Ninja, clad in a loose fitting white gi.

"Yori? What are you doing here?"

Kim then noticed their mutually disheveled clothing, which left little doubt in her mind about what she and Ron had just been doing. Her shock and horror instantly blossomed into full-blown rage.

"You slut! _I'll _teach you to keep away from my husband, you Ninja-witch!"

But when Kim tried to move, she found herself inexplicably frozen in place. She let out an irritated yell as she desperately tried to loosen her feet, which now seemed to be inextricably glued to the ground. She immediately tried to activate her super strength, but was surprised to discover that it was gone.

Her jaw dropped open in horror as she alternately tried summoning each of her powers in turn, but to no avail. She was powerless. Kim futilely waved her balled fists as she let out a terrific scream of frustration.

"nnnNNNGGGHHH! How could this get any worse!"

Suddenly, a third figure appeared. A sultry raven-haired woman slinked into the meadow. As she zipped up her signature green and black jumpsuit, she took her place on the other side of Ron. Both females then put an arm around him and smiled smugly back at the enraged redhead.

Kim huffed, "Well, I just _had_ to ask. So, you too, Shego? I swear I'll kill you _all _if I ever get loose!"

Now angered beyond all reason, Kim directed a string of furious invectives at the wrongsick trio that would have gotten her grounded for at least a month, were she still living at home.

Ron lifted a hand to halt her tirade. "Just calm down, KP. You knew this would happen someday."

Shego continued with a cruel laugh. "Yeah, Princess. It was inevitable, so chill out, why don't you?"

Yori gave a slight bow of her head in agreement. "Yes, Kim-chan. Stoppable-san is no longer your destiny, he is _mine_. And he just proved it to me."

She licked her lips suggestively. "Twice."

Kim could only glare back in impotent outrage as Ron easily continued, "Yeah, KP. And just a little 411 for you, both of them were much better than you _ever_ were, or ever could be, ah-yup-yup! But if it makes you feel any better, don't worry, it'll be real hard for me to choose between them. Then again, maybe I won't even have to!"

As he barked out an evil laugh, Kim began to experience feelings she had rarely felt before, those of utter betrayal and helplessness. Hot tears began to roll down her face as Ron's treachery assaulted the very core of her being.

"But now it's time to say goodbye, _Kimberly Ann_._ Ah_-_booyah_-_ha-ha-hah!_"

Suddenly, Ron began to morph into his evil alter-ego, Zorpox the Conqueror. As his strident laugh increased in intensity, his eyes began glowing a fearsome red. Shego quickly followed his lead, activating her plasma with a terrific swoosh, while Yori unsheathed the Lotus Blade, the deadly sword flashing brightly in the noon-day sun.

"Let's make this quick, ladies. Then we can all continue with our little... _celebration_."

Yori's evil smile grew even wider as she declared, "It will be my honor, Stoppable-san."

Now in a total panic, Kim once again tried unsuccessfully to activate her powers, then futilely began pulling at her feet in a last-ditch attempt to free herself. Her enemies continued to smile as they advanced ever closer to her. Ron began glowing even brighter as he activated his Mystical Monkey Power. But Kim had a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach that he wasn't going to be using his awesome powers to save her this time around.

"No, keep away from me! You can't do this! Please, Ron, don't! Stop! _No!_ _RONNNN!_"

Kim jumped up with a start as she suddenly heard someone screaming. She quickly realized that it was her, and that she had only been dreaming. Her breath came in short gasps, her long red hair soaked with sweat and plastered to her clothing.

She forced herself to calm down as the memory of her terrible dream continued to roll before her eyes. "Whoa. If that wasn't about the most ferociously wrongsick nightmare I've ever had, I... I..."

Kim halted mid sentence and instantly clutched her horribly sick stomach. She groaned as she realized that she was still aboard the Kepler, and the transition back to normal space had been even worse this time. She tried looking at the controls but continued to see double for several seconds before her eyes finally began to focus. As she resisted a nearly overwhelming gag response, she collapsed back into her command chair and choked out a command.

"Sadie... status, please and thank you..."

Computer lights flickered dimly as Sadie croaked out her garbled reply.

"Just a moment, Kim. You and Shego have been out for nearly twenty minutes, and my self-diagnostic programs have only just completed."

Gathering a bit more strength, Kim griped, "As soon as possible would be ferociously good, Sadie."

"Please be patient, Kim. I'm in the process of rebooting all of our systems, which should be completed very shortly. And I hasten to remind you that if you hadn't prematurely activated the flight controls, we probably wouldn't be in this mess."

Kim was about to snarl back a reply when the intercom snapped on, and Shego's groggy voice was heard. "Kim, come in please. You okay in there?"

Kim immediately derived a bit of grim satisfaction from the fact that Shego had apparently suffered at least as as much from the time-space transition as she had, but just as quickly tried to shake off that feeling as she thought to herself, "_Whoa, that's not like me to take pleasure at someone else's pain, even if it is that homewrecker Shego_."

Kim tried to answer in polite tone. "Right here, Shego. I'm a little worse for wear, but still alive."

But she couldn't resist adding with an irate snark, "And _you're_ still with us, I see."

Shego growled back, "Thanks so much for your concern, Princess. But I feel even worse than the first time, if that's even possible. What happened, and where the hell are we now?"

Sadie announced, "One moment, Shego. My sensors are just now coming back on line."

The computer gave a beep of utter surprise.

"I'm reading a temperature of absolute zero outside of the ship. I'm also detecting virtually no stars, galaxies, or even any nebulae. I'm sensing an almost complete vacuum out there, even more so than in normal space, which averages just a few hydrogen atoms per cubic meter. But I'm reading only photons and leptons in a density of one particle per thousandcubic _kilometers_, extending out to... well, out to infinity."

Kim responded with a confused look. "Wow, that's pretty thin all right. But leptons? What are those?"

Sadie tried to explain. "Positrons and electrons, the last remaining particles of matter after the universe has finally expanded and degenerated past the point of no return, after a period of at least a googol of years."

Irritation began to creep into Kim's voice. "Uh, okay. And just what's a googol?"

"10 to the hundredth power, Kim. In other words, it's a digit with one hundred zeros after it."

Shego added, "Just think of it as an insanely long time, Kimmie."

Kim recalled a math quiz from long ago. "Yeah. A trillion years times a trillion doesn't even come close."

"And that's only the _beginning_ of what's been hypothetically called the Dark Era of the universe. We're now at the virtual end of that period."

Kim began to pale. "And, uh, just how long is that, or do I even want to know?"

Sadie softly replied, "You don't want to know, Kim. There's not even a name for that number."

"That big, huh?"

"Yes. That big."

Kim rubbed her temples, as her head had again begun to throb painfully. "Okay, a ferociously long time, I get it. But what I really want to know is, exactly where are we, and where in the hell is my Ronnie?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she thought that she glimpsed a vision of Yori grinning malevolently back at her. But she shook her head to clear it of that insidious specter as Sadie made her next pronouncement.

"I'm sorry, Kim, but unfortunately I detect no trace of Ron. And the question you should be asking is not exactly _where_ we are, but _when_."

The increasingly irritated redhead shot back, "Look, Sadie, I'm in no mood for a game of Twenty Questions, so I'll bite. _When_ are we?"

As she awaited the computer's response, Kim was certain that she now saw Bonnie slip into the adjoining compartment. As she rubbed her eyes in confusion, Sadie's hushed tone once again focused her attention.

"Kim, we're at the end of the universe. The _very_ end."

Kim's jaw dropped open in astonishment at the incredible revelation as Sadie continued.

"We appear to be at the final moments of time and space. The universe may have begun with a Big Bang, but after continually expanding for countless trillions of years, it's ended with a Big Freeze."

A snort of laughter was heard over the intercom, but Sadie quickly interrupted.

"Laugh if you will, Shego, but that's what scientists have termed the theory. And it looks like they were right."

Kim solemnly began to quote, "Then this is the way the world ends: not with a bang, but a whimper."

Shego asked, "What was that, Kim?"

"Just a rather prophetic poem I remember reading back in high school. But Sadie, how did all of this happen?"

The computer continued with her explanation. "When the stars finally ran out of fuel and burned out one by one, the universe grew slowly and inexorably darker, until all that remained were black holes, their incredible gravitational force eventually absorbing all existing matter. But the law of entropy eventually took over, and even _they_ eventually evaporated away until only photons and leptons were left. Now, the velocity of those subatomic particles has ultimately spread them out evenly over the incomprehensibly vast distance of the universe. Scientists had coined a term for this state: heat death, where the universe has finally reached a condition of maximum entropy. Even time itself has now ceased, forever."

Kim gazed out of the Kepler's canopy into the vast nothingness of space, and swallowed hard. She closed her eyes and reached out with her gift of distance measurement to test Sadie's chilling explanation. After a few moments, Kim realized that the computer had indeed spoken the truth. But suddenly she detected something else, something quite unusual in fact.

"Hey, I'm picking up some kind of an object. It's small, but it's bigger than the proverbial breadbox."

Sadie scoffed, "That's impossible, Kim. There's virtually nothing out there larger than a subatomic particle now."

Kim's brow furrowed in irritation. "I beg to differ. And it's real close."

After getting a bearing on the object, she increased the magnification of the ship's sensors. Kim gasped in amazement as a boulder-sized asteroid came into view. Her look quickly turned into one of astonishment as she noticed some writing on the infinitely ancient stone.

Cut deep into the rock were the initials RS + KP, surrounded by a heart.

Upon recognizing Ron's unmistakable handwriting, Kim's mood instantly transformed. She took in a ragged breath as a few tears began rolling down her cheeks.

"He... he still loves me... My Ronnie still loves me! Or at least he did, once..."

She began to sink back into a deep depression as she realized that the Ron Stoppable who had etched those initials was by now probably long dead.

From the adjoining compartment, Shego tapped into the sensor controls in order to view the curious object. Her eyebrows shot up as she viewed the ancient memorial, and guessed the likely identity of the person who had signed it.

"Whoa. The Ronster carving your initials into an asteroid? That's kind of weird, but totally in character for him I guess. So see, Kim? I told you he wouldn't give up on you. And somehow, he created a permanent record of it to boot! _Now_ will you let me in?"

Kim gave a negative shake of her head, which was by now pounding terribly. "No way, Shego. Sorry, but I still don't trust you. Not until I can see him again with my own eyes."

Sadie interjected, "Well, although this is virtually impossible, I can't ignore my own sensor readings, even though it defies all reason and logic, along with any known laws of physics."

Shego exhaled a tiny sigh. "Sadie, there's an old saying that you as a computer may not understand, but which definitely applies here."

"And what's that, Shego?"

Shego's pale green face broke out into a wide smile. "Love will always find a way."

The computer sounded a long beep of understanding. "Yes, apparently so."

The green-hued woman then began to daydream about a certain blue-skinned gentleman.

"_And I hope that love can also conquer both space and time, Drew. Now that we've finally got each other, there's no way in heaven or hell I'm giving up on you. If you don't find__ me, I'll find you, and I will see you again, somehow, someway. I swear it..."_

Kim on the other hand was desperately trying to stay focused, as her hallucination of Bonnie began to speak.

"_You'll never make it back, K. You're a loser even worse than Stoppable, so why don't you give up while you're behind?_"

Kim squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. "_No. You're not real. Must... concentrate... on a solution_."

As the ghostly image finally began to fade, she opened her eyes and queried, "Okay, Sadie. Now that we've been at the beginning of the universe as well as its end, how can I split the difference and get us back to our own time?"

The computer gave several positive-sounding beeps. "I think I may have the perfect solution, Kim. Thanks to those markings on that asteroid, I'm assuming we're back in our own universe. And if that rock out there is indeed from our original time, I can use a nuclear dating technique to pinpoint its exact age. Now that we know the time of the universe's end, I can extrapolate the time differential and program that into our navicomputer. Comparing the readings that I've taken from both the Kimpossibility Drive and the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer both before and after each of our time-space jumps, it should be relatively simple to transport us back to our original time, with a reasonably low chance of error."

Sadie then beeped a few times in a close approximation of a human laugh. "That is, if you can keep your hands off the controls this time, Kim."

Kim's anger began to flare again, but that only made the pain in her head worse, which was now excruciating. She took a deep breath as she tried to give a calm reply. "That... makes perfect sense, Sadie. Anything to keep my Ronnie out of Yori's ferocious clutches. So, what's our next step?"

"First we need to bring that rock on board so that it can be accurately dated. Then we can attempt a jump back to our own time."

Pleased to finally be making some progress, Kim broke out in a wide smile. "No big. I'll just get my spacesuit, and..."

She stopped short at the door which she had fused shut. She groaned as she realized that both her spacesuit and the airlock were on the other side.

"Oops."

She briefly considered repairing the door so that she could retrieve the tiny asteroid herself, but quickly thought better of it. Shego could easily take the ship if she wanted, leaving her stranded at literally the end of the universe. But to allow Shego to even touch that priceless object? She shivered at the thought. Still, it was the lesser of two evils.

"Uh, Shego? Would you do the honors, please and thank you?"

Shego growled back, "What, you'll trust me with your precious rock, but you still won't let me back into the command section?"

The ex-villainess let out a disconsolate sigh as she decided to give in to her cousin's request. "Aw, never mind. I'm on it..."

Soon the rock was back on board and the testing swiftly completed. A green light and a cheerful beep from Sadie indicated her success.

"All right, you two. I've programmed the navicomputer with both the spatial and temporal coordinates, so strap yourselves in."

Kim uneasily replied, "And not a moment too soon. My head feels like its about to split wide open."

Shego snickered, "Gee, Cupcake, that's really too bad since the infirmary is in _my_ part of the ship. Oh, and I've taken a few swigs of Peptal-Bismal to help counter the effects of our time-travelling. See ya on the other side, Kimmie."

As she strapped herself in, Kim growled back, "Not if I see you coming first, Shego."

Sadie quickly interrupted before Kim's increasingly bizarre paranoia could ratchet itself up once again. "All right, activating engines. Stand by for timespace jump in three, two, one..."

The Kepler once again disappeared in a brilliant multi-colored flash, again leaving behind its telltale wormhole.

Just a few moments later, Ron, Rufus and Drakken once again appeared with a gentle pop. And once again, the dogged trio of rescuers had ironically arrived just a moment too late. Regaining consciousness a few minutes later, they all began to moan in unison.

Ron appeared a curious shade of blue-green. "Oh, man! One more wrongsick trip like that, and I'll be tempted to rip out my own stomach."

Rufus likewise groaned in misery, but Drakken seemed to be faring a little better.

"Well, Ronald, it would seem that my mutagenic abilities have afforded me a bit of immunity from the more deleterious effects of our travels."

Ron queasily replied, "That's just great, Dr. D. But can you tell where we've ended up this time?"

He adjusted the sensor controls in order to pick up any new readings. "Unfortunately, I'm not picking up anything this time, in any direction. These Lorwardian sensors aren't particularly sensitive, but we should at least be reading _something_ out there."

Ron scratched his head. "Yeah, but if this is where Kim and Shego ended up, how could they disappear so fast?"

"A very good question. But the fact that they have a faster-than-light drive may have something to do with it, as we only have rocket propulsion. Anyway, this ship was designed as an emergency life buoy, not as a rescue vehicle."

Roan groaned, "Then how will we ever catch up with them? Man, I'm starting to think this wasn't such a good idea after all. If we lose them, and then can't find our own way back, we could find ourselves lost in space and never see anyone ever again!"

Rufus sensed Ron's growing panic and sent him a comforting mental message. "_Just stay calm my friend. I have a good feeling we're still on the right track. Trust me._"

"Okay, Rufus. I'll just try to chill out until we can finally reach Kim and Shego."

Ron again closed his eyes in concentration as he tried to pick up any thoughts at all from Kim. But once again, he sensed nothing whatsoever.

"All right, time to try something a little different. Rufus, how about a little recon on the astral plane?"

The naked mole rat cheerfully nodded as they both closed their eyes and projected their spirits onto the higher plane of existence. But as soon as they appeared there, they were both shocked by what greeted their eyes.

"_Rufus! What in the heck happened here?_"

The formerly bright and glittering plane between the great realities was now only dim and lifeless, only Ron and Rufus' glow providing any light at all to their surroundings.

"_And is it just me, or does this place seem a lot older than I remember?_"

Rufus replied, "_It's not just you, Ron. The astral plane, as well as the universe, now seems impossibly ancient. I don't know what's going on with Kim and Shego, but somehow they must now be transiting both time and space._"

The naked mole rat let out a tiny sigh. "_Ron, remember what I said a few minutes ago about having a good feeling about us going in the right direction?_"

"_Uh, yeah. Why?_"

"_Well, I take it back_."

Back on the lifepod, Drakken smiled as he finally located what he'd been looking for, the tiny wormhole that represented the last remaining vestiges of the Kepler's visit to this location. But all of a sudden, another sensor light began to strobe on the lifepod's control panel.

"Hello, what's this?"

Drakken adjusted a knob to focus on the new energy reading. "Well, it looks like we've found ourselves another wormhole."

Suddenly, another wormhole appeared. And another. And yet another.

Drakken sputtered, "Wha... erk... uh... just what's going on?"

At that moment, Ron and Rufus returned to their bodies. "What's up Dr. D?"

"Well, I don't know. A new wormhole is suddenly appearing every few seconds. I'm now counting over twenty."

Ron gave him a stern look.

Drakken rolled his eyes and replied, "I recognize that look, Ron, since Shego gives it to me all the time. It's her famous 'what have you done now' look. But this time it's not my fault!"

He looked back down at his sensors and cocked an eyebrow.

"I'm getting some very peculiar readings now. I'm picking up increasing instability, like space itself is breaking up."

Ron whined, "You mean, the space-time continuum is being ripped apart somehow by those wormholes? Bad thing! _Very bad thing!_"

Drakken's voice began to tremble. "Yes. Even worse, I have no idea where any of those wormholes end up. One might lead us to Shego and Kim, another might lead us back home. The rest... well, your guess is as good as mine."

Ron tried to control his fear as he concentrated on each wormhole in turn, trying desperately to seek the right passage to Kim.

Rufus likewise began to whimper in concern. But a moment later, the tiny rodent began to relax as he sensed a familiar presence, one he had not felt for over six years.

Outside the small craft, an iridescent ball of light had appeared, lighting up the inky blackness with its red glow. Drakken instantly viewed the object with apprehension.

"Uh, Ron? What in the world is _that_?"

"I dunno, Dr. D. But I've got a feeling it's either very good, or very bad."

His voice trembling slightly, Drakken added, "I'll place my vote for the former, thank you very much."

Rufus however excitedly jumped up onto the edge of the porthole and began conversing on a mental wavelength he had not used for years, one that not even Ron could tap in on.

"_Phred, is that you?_"

"_Yes, Rufus. Good to see you again. It seems like only yesterday that we sent you on your original mission_."

With a touch of friendly sarcasm he replied, "_Well, to you it would, obviously_."

"_Yes, existing outside the usual framework of space and time will do that to you. But now I see that you are in a bit of a quandary, and need to choose just the right passageway in order to rescue your friends_."

"_Yup. Eenie-meenie-minee-moe just won't cut it this time, unfortunately_."

"_Hmm. And it would be helpful for you to leave this area of space as soon as possible. It's quite a cosmic mess right here at the moment, but that will quickly repair itself once all of these other wormholes evaporate. But now let's see about getting you all back on the right track... Ah, here we are_."

Phred hovered over a particular wormhole. "_Good luck, Rufus_."

The naked mole rat sent back his thanks, then looked up at Ron with a wide grin.

"_Ron, I take back my take-back. I believe I've found the correct path."_

Ron cautiously replied, _"Uh, that wouldn't have anything to do with that bon-diggety light out there would it?"_

Rufus merely replied with a wide grin.

Ron smiled back, "_Why you little scamp! This wouldn't happen to be one of those _'_I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you_' _kind of scenarios, would it?_"

Still grinning, Rufus replied,_ "As a matter of fact, yes. So if you will be so kind as to activate your Mystical Monkey Power and get yourselves strapped in, making sure your tray tables are in their full upright position, we'll be on our way._"

Rufus immediately began dancing on the thruster controls, maneuvering the lifepod toward the wormhole Phred was now hovering over. But not being privy to the mental convo, Drakken had no idea what Rufus' plan was.

The flustered doctor began to yell, "Hey! What are you doing? Get off of there this instant! Ron, would you control your little rat thing before he gets us all killed?"

Ron chuckled, "No problemo, Dr. D. Nothing to worry about now. Just strap yourself in and enjoy the ride. I've got a good feeling we'll be seeing Kim and Shego real soon."

"Nngh. Well, as long as your absolutely sure..."

Ron breathed a gentle sigh as he envisioned finally seeing Kim again. "Yes, Dr. D, I'm sure this time. Trust me."

And with a cheerful pop, the lifepod disappeared as its crew began the next leg of their rescue.

_**TBC... **_

_**Next update in one week. Booyah!  
**_


	24. Disaster

_At last, here's the next installment to this wild and woolly adventure, and only a week later than promised. But be forewarned: although things are now going to take a deadly turn for the worse. But since I'm almost done with the next few chapters, you can expect an update each Friday from now on. So the wait will be short for the impending mother of all cliffhangers. (As if there aren't enough cliffs in this story already...)_

_As always, my deep thanks to all my ever-patient readers and reviewers, especially CajunBear73, Bookworm Gal, temporaryinsanity91, Eddy13, Jimmy1201, Tito-Mosquito, Sentinel103, levi2000a1, Linzerj, pbow, Beckman, Oreochema, holydemon00, and Katsumara._

_And leave a review, get a response. Oh, and if anyone can tell me exactly how to reply to a guest reviewer, I'll be in your debt. Now please bring your tray tables up to their upright positions, and strap yourselves in for this new episode..._

* * *

With a colorful flash, the Kepler IV completed its journey through time, finally making its transition back into normal space. Shego awakened almost immediately, but still felt extremely dizzy. Still, for some reason, this time jump didn't seem nearly as bad as the first two jumps.

"Whoa. Either I'm getting used to these freakin' trips, or else that Peptal-Bismal really did the trick."

Sadie spoke up. "Actually, a little of both, Shego. I've also been studying each one of our space-time jumps, and I theorize that the farther the distance from one's own time and place, the greater one's physical distress is upon arrival."

"So by traveling from the very beginning of the universe to its virtual end gave us the mother of all hangovers, huh?"

"Colloquially stated, but essentially correct, Shego. And this last jump, even though countless trillions of years away, has apparently returned us to our original time."

"Great! So let's not do that again. _EV-ER! _Oh, and by the way, how's our redheaded nut case doing?"

"Still unconscious. Between her injury and the unusual emotional and physical stress, she's not bouncing back as quickly as she normally would."

"Hmm, that doesn't sound too good. I guess I'll need to blast through that door with my plasma before she wakes up."

Just as Shego began to power up, Sadie warned, "I'd recommend that only as a last resort, Shego. The power necessary to break through that door might affect the Kepler's internal hull integrity and damage critical circuitry."

"Well then, can you lock down the controls in there before she comes to so that she doesn't set a brand new course for somewhere else, like maybe the Sombrero galaxy? Kimmie might think it reminds her of Bueno Nacho, and fly off in some wild attempt to find the Ronster."

"Yes, but you would first need to input the command codes before entering the override sequence."

Shego griped, "Super. So, uh, just where exactly would I get those?"

"Unfortunately, only Dr. James Possible knows the codes. And as a security precaution, he also has a habit of memorizing them instead of keeping a physical record."

Shego gave a slight shrug. "Sounds like he hasn't changed a bit since working on the Hephaestus project. But if we're back in our own time now, it shouldn't be too hard to find him, right? At the moment when we were so rudely sabotaged, he was on Warmonga's shuttle somewhere near Mars. But first you better give me an update on where those asteroids are and how much time we have left to stop them."

Sadie suddenly gave out a terrified beep, followed by several seconds of dead silence.

"Well, _that_ didn't sound good. So what's up?"

Her voice barely above a whisper, the computer continued, "I don't think we need to worry about finding Dr. Possible at the moment, Shego. And perhaps never again. Activating main viewer."

Shego gasped, "What in the name of..."

An image of the Earth appeared on her viewscreen. But the desolate orb that hung before them bore little resemblance to the planet they had left only a few days before, for this Earth was surrounded by a dark cloud of dense smoke and dust. That is, what little was left of it. Through the occasional opening in the swirling haze, she could detect several huge impact craters along with dozens of smaller ones.

The moon, on the other hand, had been completely annihilated. There was nothing left of it except a ring of rocks and debris which now encircled the Earth, not unlike the rings of Saturn.

Shego was stunned by the horrific sight. "Sadie, can you magnify?"

The computer silently complied as the picture increased several times in size, now showing more detail of the utter devastation. Several of the larger craters now appeared to be volcanic, spewing out huge plumes of red hot lava erupting from deep within the Earth, visible even from this distance, hundreds of thousands of miles away. It looked like hell itself had broken loose on the planet's surface.

Fearing the obvious answer, Shego nevertheless forced herself to ask the dire question. "Sadie, is there anyone at all alive down there?"

The computer relays began to click, but ominously ceased after only a few seconds.

"I'm reading no life forms at all, Shego."

She sat down hard in her chair and swore softly under her breath. "Then we're too late. The Earth has been totally destroyed. But how? We were only gone a few days! I thought we had at least a _week _before those damn asteroids hit?"

Sadie's relays began clicking again as she carefully rechecked her calculations. "Shego, my chronometer still reads that we were gone only 2.2 days, and much of that time you and Kim were both unconscious, an apparent side effect of our time traveling. But we may have also been affected by the relativistic speeds of our space-time travel in comparison with that of our original time frame."

"Whoa, time out, Sadie. A little less geek-speak if you please? This is beginning to remind me a little too much of my convos with Nerdlinger."

"Very well. The passage of time flows slower for us the closer we get to the speed of light. Only minutes or hours may have actually passed for us, while days or weeks may have actually passed in real time. The problem is further compounded when adding to that our own travels through space-time, the effects of which will need to be studied at greater length before I can come to a definite conclusion."

Shego heaved a deep sigh. "All right then, let's cut to the chase. So how much time has actually passed?"

"Without a temporal point of reference, it's impossible to say precisely. Since the atomic clock at the US Naval Observatory is no longer in existence, I no longer have a way to synchronize my chronometers with our present time. However, I may be able to estimate that by charting the retrograde movement of the moon's fragments back to the initial collision point, taking into account the debris field's current average speed as it orbits around what remains of..."

Shego impatiently growled, "Spare me the long-winded explanation, Sadie. Just give me your best guess."

The computer quickly made the calculations, then announced, "Assuming that the last of the five asteroids was responsible for the moon's destruction, we're looking at approximately four to six weeks."

"What!?" Shego exploded. "That's over a month off and way too late! I thought you said you could return us back home with a reasonably low chance of error?"

Sadie responded with a rather rude sounding beep. "That's correct, Shego. Considering that we started at over 10 to the 200th years in the future, for me to navigate us back to even within a month of our original time is accurate to within 99.99999999999999999914159 percent."

Shego was about to fire back with a snarky reply, when a terrified yelp was heard from the adjoining cabin.

"Uh oh, that sounded like Kimmie."

Shego guessed that her cousin had just come to, and was afraid of what she might have just seen. "Sadie, the main viewscreen wouldn't happen to be on in there, would it?"

"That's affirmative, Shego."

"Aw, crap. And I'm sure that'll send her right over the edge of whatever psychological cliff she was still hanging onto."

On the bridge, Kim sat in her command chair, transfixed by the panorama of Earth's annihilation.

"All gone..."

She was overwhelmed not only by the destruction of the planet, but also by the fact that she had failed to prevent it.

"But I'm the girl who can do anything... but I couldn't... I didn't. I've failed, and now the Earth and everyone on it is... is dead."

She took in a ragged breath as the staggering implications as well as her personal loss began to sink in. "Including Dad, Mom, the Tweebs, and..."

She gasped in horror. "_And Ron!"_

Within Kim's fractured mind, her anger and jealousy began to give way to a crushing sense of guilt and shame, fueled by her overwhelming sadness over the apparent loss of her husband and best friend. As the fatal cocktail of stark reality and counterfeit memory came crashing down upon her, Kim began to slip into a catatonic state. She felt as if she were tottering on the edge of a huge dark chasm, and was sorely tempted to simply surrender herself to the inevitable. But with her last ounce of sanity, she desperately tried to hang on to that one last tiny thread of hope.

"No... nothing's totally hopeless unless you actually give up..."

The comm unit suddenly beeped, distracting her from her dark thoughts. "Uh, Kimmie? It's Shego. You okay in there?"

Kim mumbled back through her tears, "What do you think? The Earth is gone, and I couldn't stop it. I've lost everyone, and now my Ronnie too..."

Huge sobs began to wrack Kim's body, while Shego grew increasingly concerned over her cousin's ever steeper slide into insanity. "Kim? Listen to me. We'll find a solution somehow, I promise. Just, uh, don't do anything rash in the meantime, okay?"

A vision flashed through her mind of Kim flying them into the nearest sun in a fit of grief, immolating them all in a suitably Wagnerian end-of-the-world finale.

But she suddenly snapped her fingers as she came up with the perfect solution.

"Kim? Listen carefully, I've just had a brainstorm. All we need to do is make another time jump to, say, two months ago. Then you can save the planet, and Ron too."

Suddenly buoyed with this new spark of hope, Kim's unbalanced mind quickly began to change from its current mood of abject despair to one of total euphoria.

"Hey, yeah... _yeah!_ No big! Then I get to save Ronnie _and_ the world! That's a totally spankin' plan!"

But the maniacal tone of Kim's voice told Shego that all was still not well. This was followed by an urgent whisper from Sadie.

"Shego, a word with you please?"

Shego hit the mute button, guessing from the computer's tone that Kim might not like what the computer had to say.

"What is it, Sadie?"

"Technically, we could try another time jump, but without knowing exactly how everything ultimately transpired here, we may still be unable to prevent the Earth's destruction. Even more critical, if go back in time to a point prior to our departure, we run the risk of actually running into ourselves, and I have no idea what that would do to the time stream. And I also have no idea how long this bizarre symbiosis of the PDVI and the Kimpossibility Drive is going to last, either."

Shego shivered at that unpleasant thought. "Yeah, there's nothing like meeting our own selves in the past at the same time our entire engine rig fails. We'd probably end up ripping apart the very fabric of space-time."

Her shoulders began to droop as she moaned, "Gosh, I miss the good old days when all I had to worry about was when the next one of Drew's doomsday devices was going to merely blow up our current lair."

Sadie continued, "Indeed. So I would recommend remaining here for the moment until we can gather enough data, then make a decision after more of the facts are known."

Shego nodded. "Hmm, sounds real good to me. Unlike some of Drew's old plans where he would go off half-cocked and really bollix things up. But how do I keep our cuckoo Kimmie occupied in the meantime?"

An idea immediately sprang to mind, and she pushed the comm link. "Uh, Kimmie? We're going to have to hold off on that time jump until Sadie has time to complete some important repairs, okay? In the meantime, why don't you just relax and, uh, cut out some paper dolls or something?"

Kim gushed, "Ooh! Or some Cuddle Buddies!"

"Yeah, sure. Knock yourself out." Shego sighed heavily before cutting the connection. "All right, Sadie. So what's our next move?"

"I'm now scanning the area for any surviving ships, specifically, the Kepler IV or Warmonga's shuttle. Even if they didn't survive, I may be able to access their automatic logs and see how they tried stopping those asteroids."

A few moments later, she gave an urgent beep. "I've located the wreckage of the Kepler. Now increasing magnification."

Shego gasped as she looked at the grim sight. They had deployed the ship's Kinematic Continuum Disruptor, but the main dish had been almost completely torn away by multiple asteroid strikes. Several other impacts had pierced the ship, leaving gaping holes in the hull.

Shego sadly observed, "Looks like they were hit by a meteor collision, and explosive decompression took care of the rest."

Sadie calmly continued, "Now scanning for any life signs or power readings."

A moment later, she gave her bleak report. "No readings at all. Power levels are virtually nil."

Shego quietly replied, "Well, at least they didn't go down without a fight."

"Yes, and now I need you to perform a simple but critical task. Since there's no power over there, I can't remotely access their automatic logs. You'll need to spacewalk over there and retrieve them. They can be located behind the access panel directly below the main control panel. Once I replay them, I should be able to determine exactly what happened, and we may even find a way to avoid the catastrophe that befell them."

The green-skinned brunette blanched several shades whiter. "Uh, okay, but that means..."

Sadie completed her sentence. "Yes, that means you may also find your own remains, along with those of Kim."

At the thought of that, a terrific shiver went up Shego's spine. "Well, if it means saving the Earth and preventing our own demise, I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet..."

It only took a few minutes for Sadie to close the distance between them and the derelict ship, and only a few minutes more for Shego to gain access. As she entered the bridge section, she was startled to discover that the bodies of both Kim and her own doppelganger remained seated at the controls, still wearing their spacesuits.

She clicked on her comm link. "Sadie, I've found them. It looks like they at least had time enough to get into their spacesuits and keep firing at those blasted asteroids."

Upon closer inspection, she noted that their oxygen supply had been completely exhausted. Not only that, but Kim had attached her own air supply to Shego's suit, giving her a few minutes more of life, but ending her own that much quicker.

Shego bit her lip as the tears began to well up. "A hero and a friend to the very end. Thanks, Kimmie."

She swiftly retrieved the computer logs and left as quickly as she could, promising them a proper burial when this was all over. But just as she returned to her own ship, another craft appeared and closed with them.

Shego barked out an order. "Sadie, can you identify that ship?"

"It appears to be a standard Lorwardian lifepod, with three lifeforms aboard."

Shego instantly remembered seeing a lifepod eject from WarRaptor's battlecruiser before it crashed into the surface of Mars.

"I'll bet that's WarRaptor, Battlefox and Wolfenstrike on board that pod. But if they think I'm letting them on this ship, they have something else coming. Sadie, lock onto that pod with all weapons and prepare to fire."

Shego's eyes widened in anticipation as she watched the targeting reticule lock onto the lifepod. "Payback will be sweet, you bastards. Get ready to eat hot death."

She grinned fiercely as she prepared to give the order to fire.

Suddenly, the radio crackled into life. "Shego? Kim? It's Ron! Are you guys okay? I'm here with Dr. D and Rufus!"

Shego frantically yelled out, "Cancel the attack! Sadie, whatever you do, don't fire! Repeat, _do not fire!_"

The computer chuckled, "Yes, Shego, I hear them. Attack canceled, now beginning docking procedure."

A moment later the pod docked with the Kepler with a pleasant swoosh. As soon as the hatch opened, Shego's eyes locked with Drew's. A moment later they were in each others arms, locked in an embrace so passionate and kisses so frantically ardent that it seriously threatened even the T rating of this present tale.

"Oh, Drew... mmwah... I thought... mmm... that I'd never... uhhh... ever see you alive... mmmwah... again..."

Other than voicing a brief grunt or pleasant sigh himself, Drew was speechless, overwhelmed with the realization of finally being reunited with his one true love. Letting his vines speak for him, he entwined Shego ever tighter.

Now reminded of the time he accidentally caught the two under similar circumstances, Ron chided, "Ewww! Hey, you two, get a room!"

Between kisses, Shego panted, "Oh, yeah, you can definitely count on _that_..."

Drakken breathlessly added, "Yes, we most certainly shall, of that you can be absolutely certain..."

Happy for the two reunited lovebirds, but still deeply missing Kim and eager for his own romantic reunion, Ron curiously looked about the cabin.

"Hey, where's KP?"

Finally calming down enough to answer Ron's query, Shego began, "She's on the bridge. But just a word to the wise, Kimmie hasn't quite been herself since the accident."

Ron looked horrified. "Accident? What accident?"

"She was hit by a stray bolt of energy from the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer, which WarRaptor had connected to the Kimpossibility Drive in order to sabotage us. But instead of blowing us all to kingdom come, it sent us on a delightful little jaunt through space and time."

Ron smiled, "Yeah, and we've been one step behind you every step of the way."

"I figured you would be. But as you've probably noticed, we've all arrived a little too late. The asteroids have already hit the planet."

Ron frowned glumly. "Yeah, we noticed that as soon as we arrived. And one of them must have hit the moon, just like in Yori's premonition. But we never gave up trying to find you. Even if it meant risking the fate of the Earth."

Shego sadly nodded. "In fact, that's what I repeatedly tried to tell Cupcake. But instead of taking comfort in that fact, she started freaking out over all the babes that have ever been hot for you. In fact, she's totally gone off the deep end and is now stark raving bonkers. She's also barricaded herself inside the bridge area and welded the door shut with her plasma, so lots of luck in getting through to her."

Ron confidently replied, "Well, once I her warm her back up with my Ronshine, I'm sure she'll be as good as new."

He carefully knocked on the door of the bridge.

"Kim, it's me, Ron! I finally made it! I'm here to rescue you!"

As soon as she heard her husband's voice, Kim gasped in relief and briefly rallied. She gently asked, "Ron? Ron! Is that really you?"

But her face immediately hardened as she began to slip back into her delusion. She lashed back, "No, it can't be, Ron's dead! And since we haven't made our time jump yet, that means that you've got to be an impostor!"

She grit her teeth together in anger and continued to growl, "So you're not really here to rescue me, are you? You're here to finish me off so you can spend the rest of your life with that slut Yori, or maybe Shego, that green-skinned bitch! I hope you'll both be real happy together, and raise lots of blue-green kids!"

Ron and Drakken looked at each other in astonishment, then back at Shego. "Wow, what's gotten into her? I thought she'd be bon-diggety happy to see me, especially since we've been chasing you guys through all of time and space to rescue you."

Shego rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you'd think. But after she got hit by that short circuit from the PDVI, she's been increasingly loopy and paranoid ever since."

Drakken raised one eyebrow and gave her a suspicious look. "Shego, I'm all too familiar with short circuits and devices that go boom in the night, but what's this about you spending the rest of your life with Ron, and, uh, raising a family?"

Shego sheepishly looked back at him. "Uh, Dr. D, you remember the _second_ time we all got trapped within the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer, don't you?"

He slapped himself on the head as the bizarre event began replaying within his mind.

"Of course! When my moodulator-based Magnetronic Personality Analyzer caused us to take on each character's personalities in the TV shows we were trapped in. I seem to remember an episode of that soap opera _All My Neurotic Children,_ where you were dropped into the role of Kim's romantic rival for Ron. How could I ever forget _that_? My apologies, Shego."

_(A/N: see my story Failure Is The Only Option for the full sitch.)_

With a casual wave of her hand she replied, "Don't mention it, Drew. I've been trying to forget that for years. But the PDVI must have reawakened that memory in Kim's mind, which would explain why she's acting like such a green-eyed monster."

Ron shivered as he recalled that event and several more like it, now realizing exactly what he was up against. "And there's nothin' that sets her off more than when she starts jellin,' even when she _is _in her right mind. Bad memories! _Very_ bad memories!"

He took a deep breath and tried again. "Hold on, Kim! I'm here to help you, not hurt you. I love you way too much to ever even _think_ of that. So open up, please?"

"No way!" was her curt reply.

He sighed and looked over at Drakken and Shego. "Oh, man. This is so not good."

He yelled a little louder, desperately pleading with his wife, who was now tottering on the edge of insanity.

"Kim, please! Just try to remember the good times. Like... like our first kiss at the Junior Prom!"

She began to smile at the memory. "Prom... yeah... that was nice..." But her thoughts immediately were pulled toward the Homecoming Dance instead. "Yeah... like when I caught you and Bonnie freakin' Rockwaller locking lips after you two became Homecoming King and Queen! Try again, _Ron Heartbreaker!_"

Ron frowned. "Ooh, strike one."

Rufus tugged on his leg. "What is it, Rufus?"

He bent down as the naked mole rat whispered into his ear.

Ron brightened up. "Good idea, Rufus mah man!"

He smiled and said, "But you remember our wedding day, don't you? Uh, the second one that is. That first one was was kind of gorchy."

Rufus wildly waved his paws at Ron to stop.

"Yeah, when Warmonga abducted both me and Drakken, and then had a hard time deciding who would become the Great Blue _and_ her mate for life? Man, that was just totally sick and wrong, and... oops. Uh, let me rephrase that if you don't mind, KP?"

Rufus simply buried his face in his tiny paws and let out a little whimper, as they were subjected to another of Kim's vicious tirades, spewing out language that would have made even a sailor blush.

Ron let out a small sigh. "And make that strike _two_."

But suddenly, there was total silence from behind the door.

Kim cradled her head in her hands, as her headache had suddenly intensified to a nearly unbearable degree. "Ooh, suddenly I don't feel so good..."

Her vision began to blur again as she had another severe dizzy spell.

"Sadie... my head feels like it's about to explode... _uhhh_..."

Kim passed out, crumpling into a heap on the floor.

The computer sounded an emergency alarm. "Code Blue, repeat, Code Blue. Kim has collapsed."

Shego again tried to force the door, but it was still stuck tight.

She swore under her breath. "I could use my plasma to rip through it, but Sadie said that would be a real bad thing. So, any bright ideas, anyone?

Drakken spoke up. "Wait, Shego. Let me try."

As his vines began to unfurl, he commanded them, "Flowers, force open that door!"

The vines hastened to do their master's bidding. With a terrific screech of metal, they easily wrenched the door off its hinges, falling to the deck with a large clang.

Ron offered his quick thanks as he rushed to Kim's side, cradling her in her arms. "Kim, it's Ron. Speak to me, Kim! What's wrong?"

But the young heroine remained unresponsive. Ron lifted her up and rushed over to the medical cubicle, pulling down a diagnostic bed. She carefully placed Kim on it and hooked up the monitors.

"Okay, Sadie. Tell me what's going on."

Sadie instantly analyzed the readings, then made her bleak diagnosis. "Very bad news, Ron. Kim is suffering from a brain aneurysm, which has just ruptured. That would account for her intense headaches, and probably her recent odd behavior as well. Unfortunately, without immediate medical attention, her chances of survival are extremely slim."

Ron lashed back angrily, "But how do we get medical help when the entire Earth has been destroyed?"

Sadie's circuits immediately kicked into high gear as she tried to consider any practical solution. "I don't see any alternative except to try time jumping us back several weeks so we can get her some immediate medical attention."

Ron agreed, "Sounds as good of a plan as any, Sadie. Do it."

The computer quickly made the necessary calculations, and a large hum was heard as Sadie once again activated the Kimpossibility Drive. But this time, the lights flickered completely off as a huge shower of sparks leapt out of the engine room. Acrid smoke hung in the air as the emergency lights activated.

"Sadie! What just happened?"

"Sorry, everyone. The Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer has just burned out. Even worse, the feedback fused the circuits of the Kimpossibility Drive as well. Until repairs can be made, we're stuck here indefinitely."

Shego growled back, "Terrific! If _that_ doesn't just take the whole friggin' cake..."

Drakken muttered, "Well, since I have some experience with that device, perhaps I could..."

His sentence was immediately cut off by a loud "NO!" from everyone in the compartment, save Kim.

Shego quickly apologized. "Sorry, Drew. Force of habit and all that."

He replied with a grimace, "Yes, Shego, I _do_ know that I'm zero for two with that wretched thing, but hopefully the third time's a charm. I'll take a look and see what if anything can be done."

As he left the compartment, Shego looked down at Kim's pale form, her chest rising and falling with each ragged breath. Thinking quickly, she came up with one last desperate idea.

"Sadie, bring up a 3-D X-ray diagnostic of Kim's brain. I want to see exactly where that aneurysm is. Maybe I can use my plasma to do a little invasive surgery and relieve the pressure."

But another set of sparks suddenly erupted from the electrical panel next to Sadie, who grimly pronounced, "Main power couplings have just shorted out. Now switching to secondary power."

This was followed by yet another terrific arc of electricity, but this time the ship was plunged into total darkness. The computer only had time to gasp, "Secondary power now out, including the medical diagnostic program. Now on emergency batteries only."

Only Kim's monitor remained active, bathing everyone in its dim green glow.

Ron gently took Kim's hand, deep concern etched on his face. "Kim, c'mon, stay with us. We'll figure something out, I promise. I haven't come all this way just to see you die in my arms."

But inwardly, his hope began to fade.

Shego stood helplessly next to him as she thought to herself, "_Now what? Kimmie's dying and the ship's totally without power. What more can go wrong?_"

Suddenly, Kim's medical monitor began sounding an emergency alarm.

Ron blurted out, "Sadie, what's happening?"

The computer answered, "Kim's blood pressure is dropping rapidly, and her brain waves are fading. I'm sorry Ron, but she's dying."

"NO!" Ron yelled out. He grabbed Kim and pleaded, "Kim, stay with me! Don't you dare die on me, or... or..."

Now wide-eyed with fear, he ordered, "Sadie, do something!"

But she could only sadly respond, "I wish I could, Ron, but I'm a only computer, not a brain surgeon. There's really nothing I can do."

Ron looked back down at her slender form, a helpless look etched on his face. "Please KP, don't die..."

In response to Kim's dire peril, he subconsciously began to activate his Mystical Monkey Power.

Shego held up a hand. "Whoa there, Ron. Just what do you think you're doing?"

Ron looked helplessly up at her. "I can't just sit here and let her die! I've got to do something to save her!"

The ex-villainess put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Not unless you have a medical degree and know how to repair an aneurysm, Ron. You've got some real awesome powers, but I don't think they've given you the surgical abilities of Kim's mom. And without a brain scan, you wouldn't even know where to start."

He fiercely hissed back, "But I have to try..."

As he turned back to Kim, a teardrop fell, gently splashing onto Kim's face. Suddenly, the emergency monitor ceased its alarm, only to be replaced by an ominous straight tone as all of Kim's vital signs went flat.

Ron furiously began pounding the bed, fiercely screaming out, "NO! NO! NO!"

He closed his eyes and desperately tried to concentrate, instantly reaching into Kim's mind. But it was too late. All he sensed was Kim's consciousness rapidly receding from him. Even more heart-rending, her fear of him was driving her ever faster and farther away until her spirit disappeared into the ethereal distance. Kim was gone.

Now weeping openly, Ron laid his head on Kim's still chest, sobbing quietly as Rufus and Shego helplessly looked on. The unthinkable had finally happened. Kim Possible, the girl who could do anything, was dead.

_**TBC in one week...**_


	25. Rebirth

_After last chapter's mother of all cliffhangers, I knew I had to get this next update posted pretty quick, lest my home be assailed by an angry mob of KP fans bent on MA's own demise. And I'd have some serious 'splainin to do to the wife should that happen._

_But first, a few housekeeping issues. Apparently a glitch at FF dot net was responsible for my last chapter not posting right away. After asking our host to trace the cause, they eventually discovered that Kim Possible had used the PDVI to break through into our own reality in order to prevent her own demise... _

_But has MA finally snapped and written a true deathfic, or does he still believe that our favorite redheaded heroine can indeed do anything, even return from the dead (perhaps with a little help from her friends, of course), or has he finally gone totally over to the Dark Side? And why does he continually insist on speaking of himself in the third person? _

_But first, I thought it might be appropriate to respond to a few of this week's reviews in order to drop a hint or two in what's to come._

_Beckman, a hearty LOL for your comment that in sci-fi/fantasy stories, death isn't always a career-ending injury. And a high five to Jimmy1201's prescience:_ '_if there ever was a time for a Deus Ex Machina, this is it._' _Coming right up, Jimmy. And my apologies once again to Bookworm Gal for having become officially evil. But I'm not sure if I can be classified as truly evil, or only high school evil. Maybe college professor evil, ala shades of Dr. Maestro? However, as I have always been taught to take full responsibility for my own actions, I am forced to confess... Shego made me do it!_

_And now, a general round of applause for all of this week's reviewers: Katsumara, Rick455, Jimmy1201, Bookworm Gal, CajunBear73, levi2000a1, Beckman, Eddy13, Reader101w, Oreochema, pbow, Sentinel103, and holydemon00._

_Now back to our regularly scheduled program, already in progress..._

* * *

As the incessant flatline of Kim's monitor continued its deadly keening, Ron opened his eyes and lifted his head, his eyes red-rimmed with tears. He looked down at Kim's motionless form and gently began caressing her pale cheek.

"This... this can't be happening... Kim, please don't go, I love you so much..."

His emotions began to swing drastically between thankfulness for the time they had together, and the soul-crushing despair of a life snuffed out before its time. Especially the life of his dearest one and only. Fate had been unusually cruel this time, not even giving Kim the chance to fight back against the circumstances of her demise, which would have at least given her death meaning. Death is never easy to accept, but an empty death was even more difficult to take, especially for one like Kim Possible.

He looked down at his faithful friend, who whimpered softly beside him.

"Life just isn't fair, Rufus. I've always known that, even as a kid. And with everything I've gone through in my life, I probably know that better than anyone_._"

Rufus sent back his silent condolence. "_Yes, my friend, you do. And this was completely unexpected. There will never be another like Kim._"

Anger suddenly began to well up in Ron's soul. He felt his Mystical Monkey Power begin to surge within him, ready to be released, to lash out against this injustice. But lash out against what? Realizing the futility of his anger, he began to power back down.

"No. My frustration would only make the tragedy of this sitch even worse. If I do nothing else, I have to honor Kim's memory, and everything she ever stood for. She deserves at least that, no matter how I may feel about it right now..."

A tear began to trickle down Shego's cheek as well. "_No... oh dear God, please, no... not after all we've been through, only to have it end like this..._"

She sat down heavily, placing her head in her hands. Her mind felt numb at the unexpected loss. As she massaged her temples, she began to recall their initial adventures together as allies, first in rescuing Ron and Drakken from the Lorwardians, then miraculously defeating their alien foes and freeing the galaxy from beneath the boot of Lorwardian tyranny. Not to mention all the myriad times that Kim had repeatedly saved the world from one villain or another with her awesome cheerleading skills as well as her mastery of sixteen forms of Kung Fu.

Sadly, she had to place herself and Drakken in the villain category until just last year. "Yeah, when Warhok and Warmonga tried to turn the Earth into their personal playground."

She looked up at Ron and recalled watching in awe how he had single-handedly defeated those aliens, massively stepping up from being just a bumbling but ever-faithful sidekick. And even more amazing to her, eventually becoming her husband as well.

"_Check that. Former husband_..."

Even deeper guilt began to set in as she recalled that up until the first Lorwardian invasion, she and Kim had been mortal enemies. And not only that, she had even claimed the right to personally destroy the cheerleader.

She stood up and declared, "No... it can't end this way. It just can't..."

She looked up at the ceiling and offered up a silent but desperate prayer. "_I'm... I'm so sorry for ever saying I wanted to destroy her. And I'm probably the last person on Earth that You would ever want to answer, but please, please bring her back, somehow..._"

Suddenly, the tableau froze into icy stillness. Rufus and Ron's unblinking eyes continued to sadly gaze at Kim as the monitor abruptly ceased its deathly beeping.

"Ron? Rufus?" She passed her hand before their perfectly still faces. "Whoa. What gives?"

The drone of the monitor was replaced by a small hum, growing louder as a red ball of glowing energy appeared directly through the wall. She turned around and watched as the curious iridescent form began to approach her. Glowing bright red, it slowly moved across the cabin, stopping directly between her and Kim. Shego stared in wonder at the strange light that now hovered over them.

"What in the hell is that?"

The floating ball of light began to speak. "I am not a _what_, I am a _who_."

Shego stepped back up in surprise.

"Yikes! Uh, okay, so who are you?"

The entity answered, "We do not have names as such, like you corporeal humans. But I understand your innate need for nomenclature, so you may call me... Phred."

Shego's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Okay, uh, _Phred_. So where are you from, and what exactly brings you here?"

The entity continued, "I am associated with a group of beings from beyond your universe known as the Continuum. And I am actually here for two reasons. One, this ship has been jumping not only between different times, but between different dimensions as well. And it has thrown the multiverse into a state of increased entropy and disorder."

Shego chuckled bitterly. "Oh, I get it. Ripping apart the space-time continuum, eh? And I only thought that Dr. D was capable of that."

"Exactly. And as Ron Stoppable would say, this a bad thing. A _very_ bad thing. And I'm here to put a stop to it."

Shego's eyes widened in concern. "Whoa, wait a minute. You know about the Ronster?"

"And much more."

Shego was starting to get a bad feeling about where this was all leading. "You must be pretty serious about this if you're willing to show up in person then, aren't you?"

The entity's voice echoed forebodingly within the confines of the small cabin. "Quite. And the second reason is lying directly in front of you."

It only took an instant for Shego to fire up her plasma.

She angrily spat back, "You keep away from Kim, whoever you are! You lay a single, uh, whatever you use for a hand on her, and I swear I'll blow you all the way back to whatever universe you came from!"

The entity calmly ordered, "Please stand down, Shego. I mean neither you or Kim any harm. Moreover, I am actually one of those responsible for originally granting both you and Kim your comet-endowed powers."

Shego's jaw dropped wide open in astonishment. "Okay, I am _officially_ freaked out to the max. _You're_ responsible for my plasma abilities, and for all the powers that both Kim and my brothers have?"

"That is correct. More precisely, me and my kind are responsible. And to prove my allegation..."

Shego's plasma flames immediately flickered, then died out completely. As she stared speechlessly at her smoking gloves, the entity gently continued.

"Now then. Your theory for Kim Possible's recent bizarre behavior is absolutely correct. After the sabotage attempt on the Kepler, she was hit by an electrical discharge from the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer, and a particular area of her brain was affected. Specifically, her memory. And unfortunately, she was reliving several of those events as if they were real, along with several others her own damaged mind concocted."

"Whoa. And just how in the hell do you know that?"

The entity gave a small upward movement in an imitation of a human shrug. "It is my business to know. But the discharge did more damage than that. It also caused an aneurysm within Kim's brain, the rupture of which has just caused her untimely demise."

Shego stared at the lifeless form of Kim Possible, tears again welling up in her eyes. "Yeah, and after all the hell we've all been through, to have it end like this."

Phred answered softly, "But it's not quite over yet, Shego."

Shego sniffed and looked up at the entity with her pale green, tear-streaked face. "Wha... what do you mean?"

"You do not as yet understand Kim's importance to the universe, nor that of your own. It may interest you to know that you were initially the Chosen One. But due to circumstances beyond even _our _control, that comet accidentally imbued you and your brothers each with one power, instead of all four powers residing within the same person."

Shego stared back at Phred with a shocked expression. "What are you saying? That _I_ should have had all of Team Go's powers to begin with?"

"That is correct." Phred then added with a smug tone, "However, since you chose a life of evil over one of good, perhaps fate was kind to the Earth regarding that error. But we have been pleased to note your turnabout in that regard over the past few solar years, and for that we are thankful. In any case, Kim Possible became the target of our second comet, and the rest, as you humans say, is history."

Shego almost began to feel sorry for herself, once again feeling a tinge of jealousy at Kim's awesome powers. Powers that could have been, should have been hers. But once she looked down again at Kim's lifeless form, her brief jealousy was replaced by a rare emotion for her, one of guilt.

She mumbled, "And unlike me, Kimmie used them well."

Shego looked up at the entity and began an unusual confession. "If you know anything at all about me, and it appears that you do, you know that I'm not exactly the most touchy-feely gal that's ever walked the face of the Earth. But I can honestly say I'm going to miss her."

She looked down at the floor. "A lot. She had faith in me that I could turn over a new leaf, and because of that, I now have everything I had ever dreamed of."

Her smile widened as she thought of Drew. "And even a few things I hadn't. But no matter how I'm feeling right now, I know that Ron is going to miss her a hell of a lot more, along with the rest of the entire world."

She turned and looked through a nearby porthole, observing the lifeless planet below. "That is, I guess they _would _have missed her, if anyone had survived."

Her feelings of guilt began to return, and bitter tears again flowed freely down her cheeks. "I just wish we could have at least stopped those asteroids. That would have at least made Kim's sacrifice worth it. But now we're faced with not only the loss of the Earth, but the loss of probably its greatest heroine."

Her voice hardened as she bitterly addressed the entity. "She's saved the world so many times, and even occasionally from me and Drakken, that you'd think the universe would have sat up and taken notice just this once. And at least shown a little mercy for her sacrifice."

A desperate thought then entered her mind. "_Sacrifice. Just like what I offered Zorpox_..."

Shego pivoted back around, her features contorted in a combination of anguish and hope.

In a determined tone, she began, "Phred, I'll make you a deal. My life for hers. If you can somehow bring her back, you can take me instead. Maybe that will make up for at least some of my past nefarious deeds, and maybe even earn me some brownie points with the Powers That Be."

Phred replied in a soft whisper. "Your willingness to sacrifice yourself, though noble, will not be necessary. And forgiveness is a matter that can only be decided between you and the Creator. Besides, I have neither that kind of power nor authority."

His voice began to take on a more pleasant tone. "However, your point is well taken. For the universe _has _taken notice, Shego."

"Huh?" She gave Phred a bewildered look as the entity continued.

"Although my kind has strict rules against direct intervention in the affairs of intelligent life in this or any other universe, I do have the ability to grant considerable help, shall we say, _indirectly_?"

She cautiously replied, "What do you mean?"

A thin tendril of multicolored light began to extend down out of the floating entity, touching Shego on her forehead. Her body began to glow gently, first in a deep shade of blue, then red, then violet, each briefly increasing in intensity for a moment before finally fading away.

"You now share Kim's gifts of strength, replication and size change, along with your usual plasma abilities. But I warn you, these gifts are only temporary, so you must use them quickly."

Shego gasped in amazement as she cycled through each of her new abilities, just as she had when she had gained them after grabbing Avarius' power staff. "But use them how?"

Phred sent her a mental image of the procedure he had in mind, along with the exact location of Kim's aneurysm.

Shego smiled in understanding. "Yeah, that just might work..."

"Good luck, Shego."

He let out a sound that seemed curiously like a human sigh. "I only hope that my actions here will eventually be judged by the Continuum as absolutely necessary, especially under these unusual circumstances. As of late, I fear that I have already pushed the limits of my authority well beyond their normal boundaries."

Shego excitedly replied, "Well Phred, if you need a character witness, just look me up. I can't begin to thank you enough. And I'm sure that will go double for Ron. So good luck to you, too."

"Thank you. But please carefully note two items of great importance."

"And those would be?"

"First, your new powers will last no longer than ten minutes, perhaps even less. Unfortunately, those are the limits of my own powers at present."

He continued with a chuckle, "Without subjecting you to a full comet strike, of course."

She gave a casual roll of her eyes. "Thanks, I'll skip that for the moment. And the second?"

"Once time resumes its normal course, you will neither remember me nor how you gained your new powers. Only what you must do with them: save Kim Possible's life."

Shego exploded, "What! You mean I won't remember enough about this to hold it over the Princess' head for the rest of her freakin' life?"

With a heavy sigh, she quickly added, "Well, I guess that's too bad, but considering the alternative, it still sounds like a pretty good deal to me."

"Then farewell, Shego..."

As Phred began to fade away, Shego suddenly had another urgent thought. "Hey, wait! What about the ship? Our power's still completely out! And have you forgotten that the Earth's been completely destroyed? How do we fix _that_?"

But the entity had already disappeared, and normal time was beginning to resume. Thinking quickly, Shego grabbed a pen and furiously scribbled on a notepad.

_Phred from the Continuum gave you and Kim your powers_.

But that was all the time she had in order to document her curious encounter with the entity before time had fully resumed its course. As soon as the sound of Kim's monitor resumed its ominous flatline, Shego dropped her pen, her mind suddenly consumed with one overriding thought: save Kim Possible. She quickly rummaged through the medical drawer, grabbing a package of small curved needles, along with a dozen tiny sutures.

Through tear-blurred eyes, Ron asked, "Shego? What are you doing?"

"Saving Kimmie's life. No time to explain."

She rushed into the adjoining compartment, nearly knocking down Drakken, who was returning from the engine room in response to all of the commotion. "Outta the way, Drew!"

After shooting her a surprised look, he almost started to chide her for her rudeness. But years of experience had taught him that to do so might be inviting a painful plasma blast or two, and wisely kept quiet. Instead, he gave Rufus a questioning look, to which the mole rat shrugged back with a 'don't ask me' look on his his tiny face.

Shego quickly donned a spacesuit, pocketing the needles and sutures. Returning immediately to Kim's side a minute later, she gave a command to the computer.

"Sadie, I need power to the medical drill, emergency override priority one."

The computer quickly complied. "Emergency override priority one, confirmed."

"And on my mark, give me an audio countdown for each minute from five minutes down to one, then every ten seconds thereafter until you reach zero. Without oxygen, Kim's brain won't last much more than six minutes without suffering irreversible damage, and I've lost a minute already. I've got to finish this before her time's up."

She took a deep breath. "Mark."

Sadie dutifully responded, "Five minutes and counting."

Recalling the location of Kim's aneurysm, Shego began to carefully drill a tiny hole into Kim's skull at the precise point above it, while Ron and Rufus looked on silently, not daring to breath even a word. Once she felt the drill break through the cranium, she withdrew it and placed it back on the medical tray.

"Now comes the hard part."

To their complete amazement, Shego began to glow a deep shade of violet, shrinking herself ever smaller. Once she had reached near-microscopic size, she activated her suit's thruster controls and maneuvered toward Kim's head. Descending into Kim's skull via the now yawning chasm that she had just created, she dropped into what appeared to be a deep red lake.

As she passed into Kim's bloodstream, Shego remarked, "Good thing Kimmie has no blood pressure at the moment, or this little pool would be acting more like a volcano right about now."

Through her comm link, she heard Sadie announce, "Four minutes, Shego."

As it grew ever darker, Shego activated her plasma on its lowest setting, just bright enough to light her way. She began navigating through the arterial circle, stopping once she had reached the cortical system of secondary vessels. She quickly spotted the aneurysm, which lay at the branch to one of the anterior cerebral arteries. It appeared as a large rip in the arterial wall of Kim's brain.

"Wow, that's pretty big. But at least the damage looks to be in roughly a straight line, so I should be able to repair it fairly quickly."

She immediately replicated herself into ten identical Shegos, their red shimmer lighting up the tiny arterial passage. Toggling her comm unit, she began barking out several rapid-fire orders.

"All right, five on one side, five on the other. You four use your super strength to grab the top and bottom of the artery on either side of the aneurysm and keep it closed, while the rest of us use the needles and sutures to sew it shut. Three on one side will push the needle and sutures through, the other three will pull them through, then push 'em back. Hurry, girls, we don't have much time."

Now glowing blue with strength, they all nodded in acknowledgment and went right to work with their assigned tasks. As they did so, Sadie continued with her countdown. "Three minutes..."

They worked in perfect unison, rapidly closing and sewing shut the damaged artery. But halfway through the procedure, an unexpected problem arose.

Shegos One and Six warned, "Uh, we've got white corpuscles approaching on both sides. If they grab us before we're done, we can kiss Kimmie goodbye."

Shego Six grimly added, "Yeah, and us right along with her."

Shego Two spoke up. "All right, Shego Seven and I will try to keep those blobs at bay while the rest of you finish the surgery."

As the corpuscles approached, the two Shegos charged up their plasma and launched a few carefully aimed bolts, taking care not to miss and cause further damage to the artery. Their aim was perfect, the white corpuscles rapidly retreating under their precise attack.

"Good shooting! And we're almost done. Okay, Shegos Six through Ten, get back over to this side, then we'll make the final closure."

They dutifully complied, swimming through the increasingly thick blood. "Coagulation is starting. We've got to hurry."

Another few seconds and the final suture was closed. Sadie intoned, "Two minutes..."

"Okay everybody, it's plasma time. All we have to do is cauterize the tissue around those sutures, and we're done."

Shego Two warned, "And not a moment too soon. Look."

They all observed that their size was now gradually increasing. Another minute and they'd be too large to exit Kim's cranium. "Wow, our new powers sure didn't last very long."

Shego Three chimed in, "Yeah, but hopefully just long enough."

All ten Shegos began carefully firing their plasma, its green glow sealing up Kim's now repaired aneurysm. It only took a few moments for the final work to be completed.

"Okay, we're done. Good work, ladies. Now let's get the hell out of here."

Shego quickly re-assimilated herself and immediately began maneuvering back the way she had come. She had just reached the passageway out of Kim's skull when Sadie warned, "One minute..."

Once back in the medical bay, Shego swiftly resumed her normal size, removing her helmet and gloves and tossing them on the floor.

She breathlessly announced, "Good news, the aneurysm is repaired."

Ron gaped at her in awe. "I don't know how you did that, Shego, but thanks. I... I don't know if I can ever thank you enough."

She shot back, "Don't thank me too quick, sport. Kim's not out of the woods yet. Now I've got to close the entry point to her brain, jump start her heart and get her breathing again."

As she carefully began using her plasma to cauterize the tiny hole, Sadie continued the countdown. "Fifty seconds..."

Shego ordered, "Okay, Sadie. Now I need power to the defibrillator, emergency override priority one."

Sadie immediately complied. "Confirmed."

As the paddles began charging, Shego turned to Ron. "Okay, sidekick. Start giving her mouth-to-mouth."

She gave him a sly look. "You _do _know how to do that, don't you?"

Ron's ears began to turn red as he broke out in a goofy smile.

"Yeah, I thought so. When I shout _clear_, stop and back away while I shock her, then I'll say _resume_ while the paddles recharge. Got it?"

Ron nodded just as Sadie intoned, "Forty seconds..."

He tilted Kim's head and began the resuscitation. After a few breaths, Sadie announced, "Paddles now charged to 100 joules."

"Clear!"

As Ron moved out of the way, Shego placed the paddles on Kim's chest. As she delivered the shock, Kim's body arched up.

"Resume!"

Shego anxiously looked at the monitor. "No response. Sadie, charge to 200 joules."

"200 joules, confirmed. Thirty seconds left..."

The defibrillator beeped that it was ready.

"Clear!"

Ron backed away again as Shego delivered another shock.

"Resume!"

Silently observing his increasingly frantic wife, Drakken looked sadly down at Rufus. "This is not looking good."

Rufus gave a plaintive moan in agreement.

Shego loudly cursed the monitor. "Still no response! Sadie, charge to 360 joules!"

"360 joules, confirmed. Twenty seconds..."

"Clear!"

Shego delivered the third shock. She knew that this one had to work, or else it would be all over.

"C'mon, Kimmie. Give us a sign..."

As everyone held their breath in anticipation, Sadie announced the final ten seconds.

Suddenly, a small blip appeared on the monitor, which was followed by another, and yet another.

Then came Sadie's desperately anticipated announcement that they all had been longing to hear.

"Heart rate has resumed. Respiration and blood pressure are returning to normal. Her ECG is also looking strong, and there's no permanent damage that I can detect. Congratulations, Shego. You've done it."

Ron gushed, "Shego, I... I don't know what to say! You've saved Kim's life!"

He threw his arms around Shego and wrapped her in a huge bear hug.

As she tried to extricate herself from Ron's spontaneous show of thanks, Shego sputtered back, "Whoa! Whoa! Uh, you're welcome, but lay off, will ya?"

Ron released her and apologetically continued, "Sorry, Shego. But you... you just brought KP back from the dead! And by somehow tapping into Kim's shrinking power? Just how totally coolio is that? _Booyah!_"

Shego gave him an odd look. "Yeah, and not only that, but I used Kim's strength and replication abilities too. And I needed them all in order to repair her aneurysm."

Drakken smiled weakly back at her, backing up a step as he haltingly began, "Well, Shego, this simply means that I will make absolutely certain that I never, _ever_ forget your birthday, anniversary, or any other significant event that we've ever shared, for as long as I may live. Which will undoubtedly be cut short by one of your new powers, should I ever forget."

Ron was still amazed. "And then on top of those powers, somehow you also knew how to operate that badical defibrillator!"

Shego smirked at Drakken with an all-knowing smile. The former mad scientist responded with a sheepish look.

"Uh, I think I can explain her expertise regarding _that_ particular skill. It's no doubt due to the considerable hands-on experience she's gained with _me_ over the years. All of those accidents with my numerous failed experiments and inventions, you understand. Especially the, uh, _electrical_ ones."

He then turned a curious eye toward Shego. "What _I'd _really like to know is, how did you suddenly develop all of Kim Possible's abilities? You've never displayed _that_ before."

Shego shrugged, giving them all a perplexed look. "Well, that's the weird thing. I haven't the slightest idea how I got them."

She tried again to activate each power in turn, but only managed to bring up her usual plasma flame.

"And it seems like they were only temporary for some reason. Maybe I spontaneously activated them under the stress of the moment, just like the Ronster does with his mystical monkey mojo. Strange though that it's never happened to me before. Maybe it's some kind of weird residual aftereffect from Avarius' power staff, when I grabbed it after he stole Team Go's powers a few years ago."

"Well, whatever the reason, you were able to do just the right thing at the right time, and save Kimberly Ann."

He gave an ironic chuckle. "Although I find it curious though that you've just done the one thing I never thought you'd do: save her life. You've always boasted that you'd be the one to actually _destroy_ Kim Possible."

She easily replied, "Well, you just don't do that to family, Drew. Unless you're in the Mafia, of course, which I'm not."

Shego shot him an evil grin while tracing just a touch of plasma beneath his chin. "But I'll be happy to make an exception in your case, if you keep pushing it."

He quickly responded, "Well then, uh, case closed, my dear."

Shego continued with a confused look. "But how did I even know where Kim's aneurysm was, or how to fix it? It just doesn't make any sense."

Ron merely gushed, "Well, I for one am not going to look a Trojan horse in the mouth."

Shego replied, "Uh, that's a _gift _horse, but thanks anyway."

Ron looked back down at Kim, who had begun to stir slightly.

"Hey, I think she's coming around!"

Kim's eyes fluttered open. As she awoke, she slowly began to focus on the four people now smiling down at her: Ron, Rufus, Shego and Drakken. And let out a blood-curdling scream in response.

Everyone quickly backed away as Shego rolled her eyes and groaned, "Just great. I may have repaired the physical damage, but there's still that little matter of her paranoia."

Ron agreed, "Yeah, her mind is still messed up from that wrongsick PDVI, a-yup-yup."

He shot them all a confident smile. "But this is _my _area of expertise now."

He first tried to calm her down. "Kim! Chill out, you're alive again and safe. You're among friends now, I promise!"

But Kim only lashed back, "All of you, keep away from me!"

Still in her delusion, she imagined that it was actually Zorpox and not Ron speaking to her. She immediately began to glow blue-green as she activated both her plasma and super strength in self-defense.

Ron instantly threw up his hands in a defensive gesture, carefully continuing in a calm, soothing voice.

"Whoa there, Kim. Everything's gonna be fine, just calm down. Nobody's gonna hurt you, I promise."

He quickly hissed out of the side of his mouth, "Could you two ait-way in the next ompartment-cay for a few inutes-may, por favor?"

Shego and Drakken both quickly nodded and carefully backed out of the cabin.

"Okay, Kim, they're gone. Now just relax."

But Kim still stared back at him, wild-eyed with fear.

"Yeah, but _you're_ still here, and ready to finish me off so you can start your harem!"

Ron pleaded, "Kim, it's not like that at all. If you'll only let me explain..."

He took a cautious step forward, only to have Kim respond with a plasma bolt which whizzed by his ear, leaving a large scorch mark on the far wall.

He froze in his tracks as he stuttered back, "Okay, so, uh, what do _you_ want to talk about? Hey, I'm just really glad you're still alive, KP! By the way, did you know I've been traveling all over time and space to find you, along with Rufus here?"

The tiny mole rat popped out of Ron's pocket, cheerfully waving at the panicky young redhead.

"_Hi!_"

He quickly scurried over to Kim, hopped up onto her lap and gave her the biggest Puppy-Dog Pout he could manage.

Kim's heart immediately melted as she began to coo, "Oooh, Rufus! You'd never hurt me, would you?"

Rufus firmly shook his head no as he maintained his Puppy-Dog Pout, while silently sending a mental message to Ron.

"_Now that I have her distracted, try to enter her mind. Hopefully you can discover whatever mental damage Kim's __undergone and repair it somehow_."

Without a word, Ron closed his eyes and carefully entered Kim's mind. He was shocked to discover that they weren't alone.

* * *

_**TBC in one week...**_


	26. Battle of the Mind

_Wow, a new chapter nearly three weeks in a row! That's got to be a record for me. Good thing too, with all the cliffhangers I've been throwing at you all. I'll make my best effort to keep it up, but to be safe, plan on an update within two weeks. Kim and company will still be facing some pretty awesome challenges, but an ultimately positive end is in sight, with maybe another five chapters or so to go. So pull up a chair next to a toasty fire on this cold, wintry day, as Beckman stokes it with pieces of the Trojan gift horse I gave you all last chapter. _

_But first, my deep thanks as always to my ever patient reviewers: Bookworm Gal, Tito-Mosquito, Rick455, Sentinel103, Eddy13, Jimmy1201, CajunBear73, levi2000a1, Oreochema, holydemon00, pbow, Beckman, Reader101w and Linzerj._

_Now back to our regularly scheduled cliffhanger, already in progress..._

* * *

As soon as Ron entered Kim's mind, he was appalled by the sight. It looked more like a battlefield rather than the pleasant, orderly mind that he remembered. Wreckage of past memories were strewn about like burnt-out tanks in a World War Two documentary on the Historicity Channel. Even worse, perched atop the first engram was his evil alter-ego, Zorpox the Conqueror.

"Well, if it isn't the Mythical Monkey Moron himself! So let me guess, you're here in a futile attempt to fix little Kimberly Anne's memory problems, aren't we?"

Ron angrily lashed back, "Zorpox! I shoulda figured you'd be the one aggravating Kim's jellin.' But now that I've located the problem, it's time for my _own _brand of badical brain surgery!"

Zorpox gleefully answered, "Ah, but, but you have it all _wrong,_ Ronnie my old friend. I'm merely a mental construct of Kimberly Ann's damaged mind. But somehow I've become aware of that fact, and I've used the power of my brilliantly evil imagination to take full advantage of that."

He let out a low chortle deep in his throat. "The PDVI may have only snapped the ball so to speak, but I've intercepted it and run down the field for one coolio touchdown! And using my evil genius, I've been able to manipulate her memories, turning them against both you _and _her. I must say, taking revenge on the both of you has been incredibly satisfying, as I've enjoyed, mmm, how shall I say, _scoring _with every little hottie you've ever dissed or been dissed by in the real world. It's been a total win-win-win sitch! So, thanks for the memories, Ronnie-boy! _Ah-booyah-ha-ha-hah!_"

Ron's eyes narrowed. "Not on _my_ watch, Zorpox."

He began to glow bright blue as he activated his mystical energy. "Prepare for some serious pain, Chuckles."

Ron furiously launched himself at the villain, but was surprised when he simply passed right through him, as if he were a ghost.

Zorpox cackled in glee. "Ooh, so close! Don't you realize that I'm just a memory, Monkey Boy?And as hard as you try, you simply can't defeat a memory. Or did you fail to _remember_ that? _Ah-booyah-ha-ha-hah!_"

Ron gritted his teeth together in frustration, wondering how he could possibly gain the upper hand against what was simply a non-corporeal figment of Kim's imagination. Suddenly he had a flashback to another time that Kim had suffered memory problems, thanks to Dr. Langford's malfunctioning Memory Recovery Machine. And to the conversation between Ron and Mrs. Dr. P as they tried to find a solution.

"_Her memory is going to come back, isn't it?_"

"_Well, the good news is that all Kim's memories are intact. She just can't access them_."

Ron sighed at the irony of the present sitch. "_Too bad I_ _couldn't just isolate Kim's memory of Zorpox, then I might have a shot at fixing all the rest. But how?_"

He began to recall one of his own memories, this one concerning one of Mr. Barkin's substitute class lectures.

"_All right people, listen up! I'm temporarily replacing Ms. Golgi as your biology instructor after that unfortunate mishap in the chem lab caused by Stoppable's mole rat."_

Popping out of Ron's pocket and holding up his tiny bandaged paws, Rufus whimpered an apology. "_Sorree!_"

The class giggled as Ron tried to slink as far down into his chair as possible.

Barkin continued to lecture, "_Today we'll be discussing synapses, which are the structures in our nervous system that permit a nerve cell to pass a chemical or electrical signal to a receptor cell, and are essential to memory. The space between the two cells is known as a synaptic cleft, and if blocked, will prevent any information from passing_."

He shot Ron a fierce look and growled, "_Similar to what must have occurred in Stoppable's OWN mind, since he failed to remember that I've banned his pet rodent from ANY of our science labs!_"

As the class again burst out in laughter, Ron turned beet red and slunk down even farther into his seat.

In the present, Ron muttered, "Boy, that's one memory I wish I could forget."

But a plan immediately began to form within his mind. "On second thought, maybe not..."

Ron quickly reached out with his power, encasing Zorpox within a blue sphere of mystic energy. He smiled as the villain slowly began to fade away.

His evil double's look instantly changed from one of triumph to one of terror. "What... what's happening to me? _NOOOOoooo!"_

A moment later, Zorpox was gone. Isolated from any other of Kim's memories and no longer able to manipulate them, he had simply vanished back into limbo.

Ron smirked, "Thanks for the memories _yourself_, Zorpox, but you won't be missed. Now to use the power of _my_ imagination to begin some serious repair work."

He walked up to the first engram and noticed that it was one of Kim's early childhood memories. As he touched it, he was suddenly transported back to her first day of preschool, the day they had met for the very first time.

"Whoa! This is one badical flashback."

As he looked around the new landscape, he noticed that the memory was incomplete. The background was drab, colored only in a sepia tones, like an old photograph. A few dilapidated school buildings were there, but not much else. The sky was a pale gray, and the temperature was chilly. A playground swing squeaked as it was blown about in the cold wind. A rusty metal slide also looked like it had seen better days.

"Wow, what's with this place? This isn't how I remember it at all."

A light bulb went off in his mind. "Of course! This is one of _Kim's _damaged memories, not mine. So I wonder if I can't just transfer my own bon-diggity memory into this sitch..."

He reached down and touched the slide. As he did so, the rust miraculously disappeared and its paint brightened up like new.

"Coolio."

Next he tried touching one of the buildings. The same thing happened, the schoolhouse instantly looking brand new. Ron smiled in satisfaction.

"Wow. Now let's see if I can somehow fix everything else all at once."

Activating his Mystical Monkey Power, he lifted his hands. A gentle blue glow emanated from them, and he began sweeping about the entire scene as if he were a master painter. He was pleased to observe that whatever his power touched, it resumed its original vibrant form and color.

"Now let's see if I can do something about that sky..."

He extended his power to encompass the entire firmament above him. The sky quickly changed from its drab gray color to one of deep cerulean blue.

"Much better."

He scratched his chin in thought. "Almost perfect, but it still needs something else... Ah! I've got it."

He added a few puffy white clouds, and a rising sun to warm the now beautiful memory. Finally happy with the result, he considered making one more change.

"I know this wasn't part of the original, but I think KP will appreciate the thought."

On the large oak tree outside of the preschool, he began carving their initials deep within its bark. In a moment, RS+KP was emblazoned there for all to see, surrounded by the ubiquitous heart.

"There. _Now_ it's perfect."

Whistling a jaunty tune, Ron stepped away from the newly repaired memory engram. It now looked pleasant and inviting, radiating a gentle warmth. Not only that, but the landscape of Kim's mind immediately surrounding the repaired memory now looked a little brighter as well.

Ron broke out in a relieved smile. "All righty-right! Looks like all I have to do is touch each one of Kim's damaged memory engrams and replace it with one of the Ronman's. But I'd sure like to know where Kim is before I start traveling down Wrongsick Memory Lane."

With his mind, Ron called out, "_Kim! Where are you?_"

His voice echoed throughout Kim's mindscape, but there was no reply.

"I guess she must still be hiding out from me, probably inside one of her memories. Well, I guess I'll try this one next..."

Entering the next engram, he instantly found himself deep within a passionate kiss and locked in a rather tight embrace.

He sighed contentedly, "Wow, KP! I'm so happy I've finally found you! I can't even begin to say how much I've missed you..."

He was about to relax even deeper into the moment when he noticed something amiss. He inhaled a whiff of vanilla body wash, but the fragrance definitely wasn't one of Kim's. He opened his eyes, noting the attractive girl's darkly tanned arms and short brown hair.

"Guess again, Ron."

He let out a yelp and instantly tried to disentangle himself, pushing the teal-eyed cheerleader away from him.

"_Bonnie?!_ What in the heck do you you think you're doing?"

She ran a tantalizing finger beneath his chin and gave him a flirtatious wink. "What does it look like I'm doing, lover boy?"

He looked around the totally empty room, quickly recognizing the surroundings.

"Hey, this is Middleton High, and we're in the girl's locker room!"

Bonnie gave a sarcastic roll of her eyes. "Well, duh!"

Instantly blushing bright red, Ron babbled, "Uh, and the only way I know that is because Kim and I switched bodies that one time because of that gorchy brain-switch machine, and..."

Bonnie hushed him, placing a gentle finger on his lips. "Shhh. Not to worry, Ronnie. It's the Saturday morning after the homecoming dance, and the fact that you're here means you remembered the little _promise_ I made to you if we both became the homecoming king and queen."

He got a sinking feeling about what that promise might entail.

"Uh, _heh-heh_, and just what promise was that?"

He suddenly became aware that he was wearing his homecoming crown, and that Bonnie was wearing her sparkling tiara. And not much else.

"Uh-oh..."

From beneath hooded eyes, Bonnie grinned back at him with a lascivious look. "And since there's no one else around, let's get started with a little royal _action,_ shall we?"

As she took a step toward him, he took a step back and stammered, "Uh, and what about Kim? I don't think she'd really appreciate you putting the moves on me, Bonnie."

She gave a dismissive flip of her hair. "Kim, schmim. She's not here right now, is she? And you deserve a _real_ woman, not that loser."

Flashing him a devilish grin, she continued in a sing-song voice, "And once we consummate our royal relationship, I'm sure you'll forget _all _about her."

Ron then noticed that Bonnie seemed even more provocative than usual. Not only was she taller than he remembered, but slightly thinner as well. Things suddenly clicked within his mind as he realized that this was Kim's vision of Bonnie, not his. Kim's own fear and jealousy had enhanced the appearance of the snarky cheerleader, who now obviously had him in her sights, as well as the leadership of the cheer squad.

Frowning, Ron merely folded his arms and glared back at the beguiling temptress.

"No deal, Bonnie. This event never really happened, and it's not gonna happen now. You're just a false memory created by a whacked-out PDVI, both of which needs some serious fixing."

Giving him a come-hither look, she purred back, "You _sure_ about that, Ronnie? You _really_ have no idea what your missing out on."

She began to seductively pull one strap of her skimpy bikini top down her arm.

Now it was Ron's turn to roll his eyes. "Wow, you just don't give up, do you? Time to say goodbye, Bon-Bon."

A look of horror appeared on her face as Ron threw up his glowing blue hands. With a brilliant flash of mystical power, Bonnie disappeared, and with her, the entire illusive event.

As he wiped the sweat off his brow, he panted, "Wow, not that I would ever betray Kim over the likes of Bonnie, but it was definitely getting a little hot in there."

Now breaking into a cold sweat, he came to a grim realization.

"And Bon-Bon's not the only one Kim's ever been jealous of, and I've got several more memories to fix. I'm starting to get a real bad feeling about who or what might be coming up next..."

Taking a deep breath, he touched the next memory engram. He suddenly found himself in the middle of a huge pillow fight, feathers flying through the room. Through the cloud of floating goose down, he immediately recognized the bedroom's giggling female occupants.

Nearly choking after inhaling a stray feather, he gasped, "What the heck? The Middleton High Cheer Squad? And Amelia and Zita too? Oh, man! Why couldn't I have stumbled into this sitch about three years ago?!"

Everyone suddenly stopped as soon as they noticed the attractive male newcomer. With a delighted scream, they all excitedly called out a single name in unison.

"RON!"

Remembering that discretion is the better part of valor, he rushed into the bathroom and quickly locked the door behind him, the bevy of beautiful maidens hot on his heels.

Tara knocked on the door. "Oh, _Ronnnnieee! _C'mon out, pretty please? You can't hide in there _forever_, you know."

Amelia purred, "Yeah, Ron. I can't wait to run my hands through that sexy hair of yours."

Not to be outdone, Zita cooed, "And I'll even give you the cheat code to Level 32 of Everlot. Y'know, the one where the cute wizard and his beautiful assistant discover Cupid's Potion of Ultimate Romance, giving them both a plus 5 on their die rolls for..."

Ron blurted out, "Yes! Yes! I know the one! No need to tempt me with the details!"

Now in total panic mode, he began clicking his heels together repeatedly. "There's no place like home... There's no place like home..."

But it only took him another moment to remember that this was only Kim's PDVI-enhanced vision. Using his MMP, he instantly removed himself from his present mental locale.

Relieved to have escaped, he breathlessly panted, "Whoa, that was _way _too close. Kim's just gonna have to fix that memory herself. If I had stayed in there any longer, that would have given new meaning to the phrase 'tempting fate.' Bonnie by herself I can deal with, but the whole cheer squad? A man's gotta know his limitations..."

After calming down a bit, Ron finally felt he was ready for the next memory. He cautiously reached down and touched the next engram.

He was instantly transported to his front porch on a cool spring night. In one hand he held two roses, one green, the other black. In the other hand he held a note. He uneasily opened it and began to read.

_Thanks for the kiss. Moodulator or not, I really had wanted to do that for a long time. _

_Later, Tiger. _

_S_

The bottom of the note was adorned with the imprint of a kiss made with black lipstick. An icy chill went down his spine.

"Oh, man. Exactly like it happened nearly two years ago..."

A sultry voice from behind him began to speak.

"Well, if it isn't the Ronster himself. I'm glad now that I stuck around after making my little delivery."

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Ron instinctively froze in fear. With a convulsive swallow, he finally gathered up enough courage to turn around and face his next challenge.

"Heh-hey there, Shego. Fancy seeing you here. On my front porch. And at night, with no one else around."

Dressed in her customary green and black catsuit, she grinned back at him with look of a predator about to pounce on her prey.

Ron tried to summon his mystical power, but Shego was quicker on the draw. With a bright flash of her iridescent green plasma, Ron's blue energy was instantly snuffed out.

She wagged a finger in warning. "Uh-uh, Ron. Not gonna happen. I sensed what you just did to Rockwaller, and it's not going to be so easy this time."

With that revelation, Ron's eyes grew as big as saucers. "You mean you're _aware_ of what happened in that other memory?"

She replied with a shrug, "Yeah, all of them in fact. But don't ask me how. Oh, and nice slumber party by the way. Sorry I missed it."

Ron simply gawked at her, unsure of what to say next.

Sensing his fear, Shego grin widened. "What's the matter, Ron? I'm not _intimidating_ you, am I?"

Ron responded with a weak nod.

Her smile strangely grew a bit warmer. "Relax, Ron. I'm not going to eat you alive or anything."

She turned up one corner of her mouth. "Well, not yet at least. C'mon, let's take a walk."

She took his hand and began slowly leading him down the block.

"Uh, Shego? I remember the note and the roses as being real, but I don't remember this little stroll. So this must be another one of Kim's damaged memories, right?"

The dark-haired villainess nodded. "But it's more than that now. I _know_ I'm just a figment of the Cupcake's imagination. Somehow, I've become self-aware."

Ron's jaw dropped. "Whoa, badical. Just like Zorpox."

"Yeah, and for some reason I feel a lot different that I did a few minutes ago, but I haven't the slightest idea why."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Different? How?"

"Well, for one thing, I don't feel like coming on to you like a drunken prom date, the way Rockwaller just did."

Ron grimaced. "Thank God for small favors. Bonnie was just being her usual sleazy self. But you? You're a lot different. You're just, uh, well..."

Shego eagerly interjected, "More attractive? Supremely intelligent? Utterly captivating?"

He cleared his throat. "No, I was going to say a lot scarier. On a scale of one to ten, you rank about an eleven on the Ronman's intimidation meter."

She sneered back, "Gee, thanks."

"Sorry, Shego, that came out kinda wrong. But considering the sitch, I hope you understand. So, uh, what other ways do you feel different?"

"Well, not long before you showed up, I had this overwhelming compulsion to grab you as soon as I saw you, take you inside and tie you down on your bed. Then something involving whips and leather."

Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. "R-really? You mean _that_ was Kim's psychotic fear of how you'd try to seduce me?"

Shego shrugged. "Yeah, I never would have guessed that she even _knew_ about that kind of stuff. I guess Little Miss Priss is actually as wise as a serpent but innocent as a dove, as the saying goes."

Gaining a little of his self-confidence back, Ron sniggered back, "And I suppose you're as wise as a dove but innocent as a serpent in that regard?"

Shego immediately flamed up one hand in response. "Don't push it, Ron."

"Ulp! Roger that." He pondered for a moment, then surmised, "But I think I might have an idea what happened. Your real self just shrunk herself down to microscopic size and repaired an aneurysm inside Kim's brain not more than five minutes ago. You saved her life. So maybe while your true self was inside KP's skull, that affected _you _somehow."

Now it was Shego's turn to be surprised. "Seems a bit far-fetched, but it's always possible. But _I _actually saved the Princess? I always thought that I'd be the one to finally destroy her."

"Not by a long shot. And not only that, but you'll eventually find out that she's your cousin."

Shego let out a dry laugh. "Uh, right. Now you're just making stuff up."

"No, really! So I think that your real self has affected you in this specific memory somehow. You've become more like the Shego in my reality. In the real world you're still as snarky and pragmatic as ever, but you've become a lot less selfish. And you've finally turned from evil and become one of the good guys again."

"Really? Okay, smart guy. If that's true, why am I still attracted to you so much right now? And I've gotta say, it's a really weird feeling."

"Well, Kim was hit by a stray bolt of energy from the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer, which stirred up the memory of some Moodulator-influenced sitches and let loose a whole lot of jellin' on her part."

"Hmm, that actually explains quite a lot. But if I remember correctly, the Moodulator can only enhance what's already there."

She stopped and slyly looked him right in the eye. "So there must have been a spark there in the first place, Ron. And not just on my part."

Ron guiltily stammered, "Well, uh, maybe once, a long time ago. So, er, what are you planning on doing now?" Ron swallowed again, his fear again mounting.

Shego pulled him into a warm embrace and gave him a tender kiss.

He pushed her away immediately. "Hey, cut that out! I'm here to heal Kim's memories, not throw more gasoline on the fire!"

She smirked, "Sorry." She added with a laugh, "Well, not really. But I think I've got it figured out now. Kimmie must now be subconsciously more afraid of us having a real relationship rather than just a quick roll in the hay. You've grown up, and I've apparently..."

She made a sour face as she continued, "...uh, mellowed a bit myself. And she must really fear that change in both of us for her fevered mind to dream something like _this_ up."

She gave him a smug grin. "So I guess she's afraid you'll like me for my mind now, as well as my body."

Fear began to creep into his voice. "Uh, what do you mean?"

"Well, I may not have any of my _own_ memories past this present point in time, but I _do _share her memory of the first time you laid eyes on me. And that was definitely quite a reaction, Ron. When Nerdlinger said I was wanted in eleven countries, I believe your exact words were, 'Make that twelve! RrrrRroww!'"

His face started to turn red at the memory. "Maybe so. But that was years ago, Shego. Any hormonal reaction I may have had is _way_ in the past. And although your real self has turned over a new leaf... well, actually a whole tree, if not an entire forest, I love Kim now. Enough to have married her, in fact."

Shego guffawed, "What? You and the Princess are _married?_"

He grinned back, "Yeah. And not only that, _you're_ now married to Drakken. Quite happily in fact."

This brought Shego up short. "Whoa. Seriously?"

He shot her a smug smile. "Ah booyah."

Shego gently scratched her chin with one of her claws. "Well, I've always had a thing for older men, come to think of it. So tell me, have he and I taken over the world yet?"

"Well, not exactly. But you're now the Princess Regent of the planet Lorwardia, and Drakken controls all of their military forces."

She immediately perked up. "No kidding! So instead of taking over the Earth, we opted for Lorwardia instead? Sounds pretty awesome, actually."

"More than in your wildest dreams, believe me."

Shego gave her head a quick nod. "Okay, then. You've convinced me."

Ron let out a small sigh of relief. "Coolio! So you'll let me fix this engram now?"

But before she could answer, Shego suddenly looked up into the distance, sensing something wrong. Very wrong.

"Uh, oh. I think Kimmie's in deep trouble. You better get over to that last memory engram quick, or else it may be curtains for all of us."

Ron nodded his thanks. "No problemo. But I need to heal this memory first."

Shego grinned back, "I think you already have, Ron. Look."

Out of the evening sky, an aircar appeared. Piloting it was a blue-skinned man in a long, dark blue lab coat, his black pony tail whipping in the wind. He landed the vehicle and motioned to the pale green villainess.

"Come along, my dear. Why don't you leave that snivelly little high-school sidekick alone and come with me? Adventure awaits us!"

Arms akimbo, Shego snarked back, "Adventure? What about _romance_?"

Drakken looked a little scared. "Uh, yes, of course. That too, but only if it doesn't involve any serious plasma burns should we get into a little spat. But as long as that makes you happy, I'm game."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

With a pleasant smile, Shego climbed into the aircar. As they flew off, she offered Ron a cheerful wave in farewell.

The memory now healed, the scene dissolved back into Kim's mindscape. One last engram remained, but it glowed even more malevolently than the first four. Ron sensed great danger, fearing that this might be his toughest challenge yet.

As he touched it, he was instantly transported into a huge subterranean cavern. He was perched on a small rock outcropping surrounded by a lake of molten lava. Just a short distance away on a slightly larger island of pumice, two females were embroiled in fierce hand-to-hand combat. One was just a slip of girl, barely in her teens. Unarmed, she was desperately trying to ward off the attacks from her slightly older Asian adversary, who was armed with a deadly-looking sword.

"Kim? Yori? Oh, man! Bad Ninja! _Very bad Ninja!_"

Looking closer, Kim appeared little older than junior high age. Her red hair tied in a ponytail, it was shorter than it would be when she was older, and her braces sparkled in the light of the blazing lava all around them. In contrast, Yori's hair was longer and unkempt, and an uncharacteristically wild look permeated her features. And instead of wearing her customary white gi,shewas clothed instead in a sheer, bright red material that clung to every sinuous curve of her lithe body.

"So _that's_ how Kim perceives Yori. No wonder she's been jellin' over her all these years..."

Remembering that at this point in time Kim had only gained proficiency in eight styles of Kung Fu as opposed to the sixteen she would later master, Ron knew that she was at a serious disadvantage. Even worse, the excellent cheerleading skills that she used to such good effect in personal combat had yet to be honed to a fine edge by years of sparring with Shego. Kim was obviously losing the battle, her face and arms already cut and bleeding by multiple strikes from Yori's katana.

On the other hand, there was a deadly grace to each of Yori's movements. Her skill in combat was such that she almost seemed like she was toying with Kim, who was now fighting for her very life. As Kim and Yori continued to dance their lethal duel, Ron quickly energized his Mystical Monkey Power in order to intervene. Suddenly, Kim slipped and fell, Yori raising her blade in preparation for the final stroke that would end their savage contest.

"_No! _Keep away from her, Yori!"

As Ron furiously yelled out his warning, he leapt into the fray, crossing the river of lava in a single, furious bound. His spring was perfect, landing directly between the two antagonists.

Yori grinned evilly back at him. "Stoppable-san! I am honored by your presence. You have arrived just in time to witness my final victory over this pitiful waif."

He snarled back, "Get away from her, Ninja-girl. That waif is my wife."

One eyebrow raised in surprise. "Indeed! A poor choice of mate, do you not think? So thin and... _inexperienced_."

Her wicked smile underscored the intended double entendre.

"Still, with sufficient training, she could easily become much more proficient in the martial arts."

Her face hardened. "But then she might become serious competition to me. And that I cannot allow. It is best that her life ends now, so that you and I may be together. For it is our _destiny_, Stoppable-san."

Ron growled, "No way, Yori. You're only a wrongsick figment of Kim's fevered brain. And I'll do whatever it takes to protect her, and defeat you."

Her eyes now barely slits, the ninja glared back at him, every muscle taut in anger. "Then have it _your_ way, foolish boy. You make your demise inevitable with your American-style tomfoolery. And do not think you will have as easy a time in trapping me within a mystical ball of energy, as you did with Zorpox."

Ron whined, "Oh, man! Do _all _of Kim's memories keep in touch with each other? That's just so sick and wrong!"

Suddenly, he felt Yori trying to enter his mind, attempting to divert him with the memories of past flames. Even worse, she began to combine the best features of each into herself, both mind, body and spirit. With the fusion of Tara's simple beauty and Bonnie's sensuality, plus Shego's athletic build and awesome fighting skills, Ron began to weaken beneath the mental assault. He immediately countered by focusing instead on the image of Kim and his deep love for her. Summoning all his powers of concentration, Yori's enhanced appearance began to waver.

But now distracted by Yori's mental attack, he almost fell prey to her next move. With an instantaneous movement, she slashed down with her katana. But Ron likewise instantly sidestepped, her blade clanging into the ground with a bright spark. She let out a yell of frustration.

Ron wagged a cautious finger at the lissome ninja. "Temper, temper! I remember when you taught me that anger dampens both one's reaction time as well as one's accuracy, and that control is its own reward."

She lashed back, "You will still taste my cool blade, Stoppable-san. For it is I who taught _you_, not the reverse. And the student can never hope to supplant his master."

Realizing that this would now be a fight to the death, he instantly called on the Lotus Blade, the mystical weapon magically appearing in his hand. Ron met her next thrust with an instant sidestep and parry of his own. She attacked again with the same result. Increasing the tempo with each slash, both warriors began moving faster and faster until they both became a blur of movement, quicker than the eye could possibly follow.

Suddenly, they both paused. Yori was breathing heavily, but Ron appeared barely winded.

The furious warrior angrily growled, "How could this be?"

With the trace of a smile, Ron replied, "You forget that Sensei taught me as well, Yori-girl. And he was _your_ master too, as I recall."

The muscles in Yori's jaw tightened. "This is true, Stoppable-san. I had forgotten. But I still hold the trump card."

Yori was instantly by Kim's side. Before Ron could react, she held up her hand and spoke but one word.

"Stop."

Motionless, Yori held the blade of her katana beneath Kim's chin. Terrified, the redhead held perfectly still.

With fear in her eyes, she looked up at her "Ron..."

Kim squeaked as Yori instantly tightened her sword against Kim's throat. A trickle of blood dripped onto the razor-sharp blade.

Ron likewise stood perfectly still, knowing that his next move might mean Kim's death. As swiftly as his Mystical Monkey Power enabled him to move, he could not hope to reach Yori before she slit his wife's throat. And Yori knew it.

Now having gained the upper hand, she smiled back at him with a wolfish grin, her victory now assured. Yori declared with a sultry voice, "You desire me, Ron-san. And I desire you. Let me mercifully dispatch Kim-chan, and together we can then become each other's new destiny."

He looked back at Yori in horror. "How... how could you even _suggest_ such a thing? What about your bon-diggety bond of honor?"

Yori's delicate laugh echoed through the cavern, belying her deadly intent.

"Kim-chan has freed me from bond of honor, Ron-san. Her jealousy has now activated my deepest desires, which I now deliciously savor."

Something clicked within Ron's mind, as a forgotten memory of his own resurfaced. He began to form a plan, but his timing would need to be perfect, and he dared not tip his hand before he was fully prepared.

"Aren't you forgetting something? You're not the real Yori. And even if you should strike Kim down, you yourself would cease to exist, since you're only a wrongsick artificial construct that Kim's fevered brain has conjured up. Besides, no way, no how am I going to let you harm her."

As he spoke, he allowed his Mystical Monkey Power to charge up to its maximum deadly intensity, grunting with the effort not to display its tell-tale glow.

Yori gave a small shrug. "Then we have, how do you say, a Mexican standoff? If I kill Kim-chan, I may indeed vanish. But neither will _you_ gain her, Stoppable-san. So I will make you a counter offer. Join me, and I shall spare her life."

He immediately shook his head. "Uh-uh. Not acceptable. When I married her, I made a promise to Kim, and that promise was till death do us part, no matter what. There's no way I'll _ever _give up on her. It will be my honor to keep my promise, and it will also be my honor to defeat you, _Yori-faux_."

Now fully charged, Ron suddenly cut loose with a deadly blast of intensely concentrated Mystical Monkey Power. Traveling quicker than even Yori could react to, it struck her full force. The surprise on her face was instantly replaced with a look of intense pain as she was vaporized, her psychic scream echoing within Kim's mind.

The hellish surroundings immediately began to fade, and with the last of her mental damage finally repaired, Kim's mind finally resumed its pleasant orderliness. She also returned to her normal age, her braces disappearing with a gentle flash. Kim and Ron now gazed at each other in both wonder and relief. She rushed into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"Oh, Ron, I've missed you so much... I could tell that my mind was doing terrible things to me, but I couldn't control it or do anything to stop it. I'm so sorry..."

Ron simply held her close and whispered back, "I know, Kim. It was the PDVI malfunction that caused that whole gorchy mess, thanks to WarRaptor. So we can both blame _him_, not you. And remember: I'll always have your back."

Kim looked deep within Ron's chocolate brown eyes, the eyes of both her husband and rescuer.

Before pulling him into a deep kiss, she gently whispered back. "I love you, Ron Stoppable..."

Her damaged mind now completely healed, she awoke, still in Ron's arms. But this time, she responded with a smile instead of a scream.

"Ron... you did it. You saved me! And somehow you've completely healed my mind. But how?"

As he gazed down at his wife, he gently responded, "That's easy. They say that time heals all wounds, but they're wrong._ Love_ heals all wounds, Kim. And I love you more than if I had to face all your fears wrapped up together in a wrongsick green Naco of doom dipped in five-alarm jellin' sauce."

Kim snorted with laughter at his metaphor. "Sorry, Ron, but I couldn't help myself. As the real Yori might say, you crack me up with your American-style jokes."

But her look of joy slowly began to turn into one of perplexed wonder. "But how did you know that a deadly release of your Mystical Monkey Power wouldn't kill me too?"

Recalling his infamous lack of attention to detail at times, she suddenly had a disturbing thought. "Or _did _you?"

Ron answered her query with a confident smile. "Absolute-a-mentay, Kim. Remember the time before we were engaged, when you slapped me over that note I kept from Shego?"

He reflexively touched the spot on his face. "Uh, _several times_ in fact, causing me to activate my Mystical Monkey Power?"

She drooped her head with a guilty look. "How could I forget? I let my jellin' get the best of me then too, after which I accused you of ramping up your power in order to finish me off."

He gave her a tender look. "It's okay, KP. That's ancient history now. But the thing I learned then was that even _unconsciously _I can't possibly hurt you, even with my power operating at full strength. And even though it might level anything or anyone else in my way. Remember that even Zorpox couldn't harm you when he tried using my MMP against you. So when Yori said that your jealousy had activated her deepest desires, it gave me the idea to activate my _own_ deepest desires."

A tear of joy rolled down Kim's cheek. "Which was your ferocious love for me. So your confidence and self-control allowed you to defeat Yori while simultaneously protecting me. I'm so thankful, Ron. You healed my mind, and kept me from dying as well."

Ron awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I definitely healed your mind, but you were actually dead for about six minutes, KP."

She jumped up in surprise. "Dead!? How?"

"The PDVI also caused a brain aneurysm, which ruptured. The credit for _physically_ bringing you back to life actually belongs to, uh, Shego."

Kim's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Shego?"

The raven-haired beauty proudly beamed, "That's right, Princess. Somehow I tapped into a few of your comet powers, shrunk myself a la _Fantastic Voyage_ and sewed up the artery. But don't ask me how I got them, and for some reason I lost them as soon as I was done."

"Wow. That definitely sets my weirdar off that you somehow accessed my powers, even temporarily. But if you hadn't, I guess I wouldn't be sitting here right now, so it seems that I owe you _both_ my life. So my deep thanks to both of you."

Shego grinned back, "Yeah, and don't think I'll ever let you forget it, Princess. I don't often get the chance to make up for my years of walking on the dark side, so I've got to take advantage of every opportunity."

She added with an even wider grin, "And remind you about it for the rest of your natural life."

Ron let out a sigh of relief. "Which I hope will be a bon-diggity long time. So how do you feel now, KP?"

"Well, considering what I've been through, absolutely spankin'. But for some reason, I seem to have an odd craving for bananas."

It was now Ron's turn to snort. "Well, just so long as it's not pickles and ice cream, I'm cool."

"The weird thing is, I remember everything, but I couldn't help myself. But was it the PDVI, or was it really Zorpox who was responsible for all my jellin'? And I also wonder if that was by accident or design: WarRaptor seems to have always had an evil backup plan."

Ron scratched his head. "Good question, but I think you're giving him way too much credit. The way I figure it, the PDVI caused the damage, but your mind is so powerful that it built defenses that even _I _had trouble breaking through. Your awesome focus and Type A single-minded determination are some of your strongest traits, but that gorchy device turned them completely against you. And me, too."

Kim pulled him into another tender kiss.

"Yeah, but your love for me just led you on one spankin' trip through both space and time, and then into my loony mind. If not for you, I'd still be several bananas short of a bunch. But there's still a few things that don't make sense to me, Ron."

"Uh, what's that, KP?"

"Well, I can understand how my mind made Bonnie act like a bitch in heat, and how Yori was crazed with the desire for both ultimate power and what her destiny with you would bring, but _Shego_? You liked Shego for her _mind_?"

He gave a small shrug. "Well, she is rather smart."

Quickly backpedaling, he began to babble, "Not as smart as _you_, of course. In fact, on a scale of one to ten, you naturally being a eleven, I'd have to say that..."

Kim began to giggle as she held up a hand. "All right, you can turn off your ferocious charm, Mr. Smooth Talker. I'm convinced. But there's one other memory that doesn't quite make sense."

Hoping that it wasn't one that involved him, he ventured, "And, uh, which one is that, Kim?"

"Well, it had to do with the Middleton High cheerleaders, and a slumber party."

Ron blurted out, "Kim! I can explain!"

She held up the other hand. "Whoa, slow down, Ron. You weren't in it except for just a few seconds, so no big."

She paused for effect. "However, _Rufus _was."

They both looked down at the naked mole rat, who was now grinning from ear to tiny ear.

The surprise on Ron's face could not have been any greater. "Rufus! So what were you up to, you little scamp?"

He sent a thought back to both of them. "_Well, that particular memory of Kim's needed repairing, and you wisely chose __not to let yourself be tempted beyond what you thought that you could handle. So I figured I would just do my duty as a __friend and take that particular bullet for you. Besides, it was actually quite... exhilarating._"

As Rufus snickered at the memory, Ron guffawed while Kim just rolled her eyes.

Kim moaned, "Well, I guess in that case I was just jellin' over the wrong guy, huh?"

"Or rodent. I guess being a naked mole rat definitely has its advantages."

As they all had a good laugh over Rufus's mischief, Shego glanced down at the table, spotting a curious note. She picked it up and began reading.

"Hey, what's this?"

Ron looked over her shoulder. "Well, I recognize your handwriting."

Kim shot him an annoyed look, to which he responded with a weak smile. "But then again, I could be wrong..."

Shego began reading aloud. "_Phred from the Continuum gave you and Kim your powers_. Okay, so who the hell is Phred, and what's a Continuum?"

She looked suspiciously at each of them in turn, but everyone only responded with a curious shrug. Rufus naturally had the look of an angel.

Kim surmised, "Well, we seem to have the answer to at least one mystery, but now we have even more questions. We may have a name and the beings responsible for the comets that hit both of us, but what's their motive? And are you _sure_ you wrote that, Shego? If so, why did you suddenly forget what you had written?"

Shego involuntarily shivered. "I don't know, Kim. But I definitely wrote this. Maybe somehow I knew that I'd forget, so I scribbled it down right away."

"Yeah, maybe. But one thing's for certain."

"And what's that?"

"We definitely have some kind of higher authority looking out for us. And under the circumstances, I for one welcome all the help we can get."

Ron on the other hand began to look quite scared. "Now you're just creepin' me out Kim! What if this is really some kind of insidious alien plot? They could just be trying to lure us into a false sense of security, and then when we least expect it, aliens invade the Earth and eat our brains! I saw a Twilight Zone episode just like that right before we left!"

Kim tried to calm her jittery husband. "Please amp down, Ron! I'm sure that whoever or whatever they are, they're friendly. Why else would they have given me and Shego these spankin' powers in the first place? And they've sure kept us alive up to this point. But first, we have to repair the ship and find some way to get back to our own time. In the meantime, this mystery will have to wait."

Calming down, Ron took in a deep breath and then let it our slowly. "Sorry, KP. You know that conspiracy theories and me are old friends from waaay back."

Suddenly, something clicked in Ron's brain, and he sent a thought down to his tiny pal.

"_Hey Rufus, about that coolio red light that just happened to lead us all through the right portal to find Kim and Shego. That wouldn't happen to be, say, one of the aliens that originally sent you on your mission to help Kim and I, would it? And maybe his name is Phred, who might be part of this Continuous thing? And for some reason, maybe I should probably keep all this to myself for the moment?"_

The naked mole rat looked up at Ron with a twinkle in his tiny eyes. "_Mmmm, could be!_"

At that moment, a brilliant flash followed by a painful yell emanated from the other compartment.

Shego griped, "Uh-oh. I think I better check on Drew before he blows us _all _up."

Suddenly, all the lights came back on, and Sadie cheerfully announced, "Full power has just been restored."

Drakken stumbled back into the compartment, gloves smoking and hair singed, but with a look of triumph on his face.

"Well, I found the problem. The PDVI had shorted out our main power couplings, but I've fixed them now. Unfortunately the PDVI and the Kimpossibility Drive are still out, so we still won't be going anywhere until they've both been repaired."

Shego turned to Kim. "Hey Princess, remember your comment about becoming a quantum mechanic? I think you might want to revisit that idea right about now."

Kim agreed, "Good point. I've never tried shrinking myself down to quantum levels, but now may be just the right time to test that out."

"And while you're busy with that, Sadie and I can check out the computer logs I just picked up from this time's Kepler. It might give us a clue on what to do. Or even more importantly, what _not _to do."

Kim rubbed her hands together in anticipation. "All right then, here goes nothing."

Shego responded with a heavy sigh, "Princess, I _do _wish you'd stop saying that..."

_**TBC...**_


	27. Quantum Mechanic

_First off, my deep thanks to all of my intrepid readers and reviewers for your patience during this last rather lengthy hiatus. Parental health issues (my 83-year-old mom's breast cancer) needed to take precedence, but as I and my family are now cautiously optimistic about her recovery, I'll now be able to focus on updating a bit more frequently (and as the next chapter is nearly complete, you can expect another chapter to be up by the end of next week). As the saying goes, patience is a virtue, so to the virtuous I promise I won't be going on total hiatus, especially with so few chapters left to go._

_But first, a very special thanks to last chapter's reviewers: Oreochema, Bookworm Gal, Eddy13, levi2000a1, Jimmy1201, Sentinel103, CajunBear73, rick455, pbow, Beckman, Linzerj, Tito-Mosquito, and holydemon00. And I'm still keeping my promise for eventual (if belated) replies to any reviews that anyone is so kind as to leave._

_To wit, my thanks to Beckman for your guest reviews: yes, Ron has indeed become quite the mind warrior, and I could see some very humorous happenings if he and Kim opened a psychiatric practice together with the motto "Mental Illness Is Stoppable!" So far as a grand destiny of his own? Whether together or apart, I believe that Kim and Ron's destinies are inextricably intertwined, and always shall be. He's already graduated from being merely a sidekick to one of husband and official partner in the ____world-saving _business, and has already saved the world (and Kim) single-handed. And that's even canon in the series, let alone in the fevered manifestations of my own imagination. 'Nuff said. 

_So now, on with the show, as Kim commences her next daring quantum microscopic adventure, while Shego makes some rather startling discoveries as to their actual whereabouts..._

* * *

As Kim prepared for her audacious task, she announced, "Since this is the first time I've ever tried shrinking myself this small, I'll keep in direct contact with Sadie at all times via my Kimmunicator."

Drakken cautioned, "Just a moment, Kimberly Ann. You might want to know what it is exactly that you're looking for. I've determined that the damage to the Kimpossibility Drive is in the computer microcircuitry located approximately here, in the upper right hand corner of one of its central processing units."

He pointed at a scorch mark at the point where the PDVI and the Kimpossibility Drive's quantum computer had been connected together by one of WarRaptor's wartechs.

"What you'll be looking for is damage to any of the microprocessors in that location. The problem is that this CPU contains about seven billion transistors, and each transistor is a quantum dot of just seven phosphorus atoms within a single silicon crystal."

Kim gawked, "Whoa, we're talking ferociously tiny then, aren't we?"

"Yes. For the Kimpossibility Drive to operate, the computer needs to make at least one quadrillion calculations per second, as opposed to your standard laptop computer which may be able to make a mere 100 million calculations per second. This is quicker than even the fastest supercomputers in existence. Only transistors of these infinitesimal sizes can possibly work at the incredible speeds required. They're now literally the smallest in the world."

He sadly added, "Or at least, what's left of it."

Ron however looked on in wonder, temporarily distracted by the siren call of a blisteringly fast computer. "Wow, just imagine the frame rate I'd get on Zombie Mayhem IV with those sick puppies! I might even be able to finally beat Felix!"

With a far off look in his eyes, Drakken scratched his chin. "Indeed. And in the old days, I'm sure I would have ordered Shego to steal the prototype in order to use in my latest take-over-the-world scheme. But now, I find myself trying to repair it instead in order to _save_ the world, if that's still even possible. Ah, the irony..."

Kim smiled back, "And I'd say we're all very grateful for that, Dr. Drakken."

"Thanks, Kimberly. But are you sure you can shrink yourself to the necessary size? Just for comparison, an average strand of hair is about 100 microns wide. But a single micron is 10,000 _atoms_ wide, which makes each of the damaged transistors a mere four billionths of a meter long."

She gave a casual shrug. "Well, I've never shrunk _that _small before, but there's a first time for everything, so I'm willing to give it a try. But exactly how do you know all this? As you know, my dad is pretty secretive about his high tech inventions."

Shego beamed proudly, "Yeah, Drew, I'm actually impressed. And for once, I'm not even being sarcastic."

Drakken offered her a wan smile. "Well, heh-heh, I must admit that I did have a little help."

Sadie chimed in, "Yes, Kim. Drew asked me to try and diagnose the problem. The basic operations of the Kimpossibility Drive's quantum computer are complex enough, but repairing it will be even more challenging. There are at least a few thousand damaged resistors, and we would normally need a scanning tunneling microscope in order to repair and replace the individual atoms in each one. Unfortunately, that's not possible now that the Earth has been destroyed. So it's all up to you, Kim."

She shot them both a confident smile. "Well, no big."

And instantly grimaced. "Uh, no pun intended. So I may as well get started. Wish me luck."

Everyone immediately voiced their hopes for her success. For on this, perhaps the fate of not one, but two universes now hung.

Kim began glowing an intense shade of violet as she activated her shrinking ability. As she shrank, everyone and everything began increasing in size relative to her. Dust particles now mysteriously hung in the air like floating rocks. She looked up, and the heads of Ron, Rufus, Drakken and Shego now appeared as large as those on Mt. Rushmore. Kim snickered as she tried to envision how funny a monument like that would actually look.

Continuing to decrease in size, she spotted a group of dust mites on the floor, now looking more like some kind of weird alien dinosaurs rather than the microscopic bugs they actually were. Decreasing even smaller, the apparently smooth shiny surfaces of the wall began to take on the features of a massive mountain range, with huge crags jutting out of deep valleys.

But as she approached the molecular level, suddenly Kim had difficulty breathing. "Wha – what's going on?"

Ron blurted out, "Kim! What's happening?"

She stopped her shrinking, but remained dizzy. After a moment she figured out what the problem must be.

"Of course! My body is now only a little larger than the oxygen atoms I need to breathe. Looks like I'll need to put on a spacesuit first before I can shrink down any further. It'll shrink right down with me, and..."

Ron sniggered, "And give you a little breathing room?"

"Cute, Ron."

Resuming her normal size, she quickly donned one of the suits, then recommenced her attempt. Soon she had shrunk back down to the molecular level and was floating over the damaged section of the CPU. She gazed in wonder at the honeycomb-like forms that greeted her eyes.

"Sadie, the view here is amazing. It's like I'm an insect hovering over a multicolored beehive."

Sadie replied, "What you're looking at are the molecules of a silicon crystal. In order for the quantum resistors to function at the highest speeds possible, seven atoms in each crystal have been replaced by one of phosphorus."

Shrinking even further, she finally reached the atomic level. She toggled her Kimmunicator again, but got no response.

"nnnNNNGGHH! _Now_ what?"

Sensing her discomfiture, Ron popped into her mind. "_Hey, KP. Sadie says that at your present size, even radio waves are too big for you to receive now. But you can count on my bon-diggety brain waves as your liaison to the outside world._"

"_Thanks_ _Ron. And good news, I've j__ust found the damaged sections. It reminds me of a kid's playroom with a bunch of toy blocks scattered all over the place_."

Ron replied, "_Yeah, I can see what you see through my mind's eye. Sadie says if you can find the white phosphorus atoms that were displaced when the short circuit happened and place them back into their original spots, covert bonding will keep them in place_."

"_Uh, don't you mean covalent bonding, Ron?"_

Kim could feel the heat rising in Ron's face from his blush. _"Oops. Oh yeah, covalent bonding, heh-heh. Covert bonding sounds like, uh, what happened in some of those wrongsick memories of yours."_

She suppressed a laugh. "_Just focus, Ron. So I just pick 'em up and fit them back in place like a Lego block, huh? Wow, Dad's gonna flip out when he hea__rs how his daughter's found a way to repair his little project_."

She looked around, but failed to spot any white phosphorus atoms. "_Ron, I only see darkish atoms lying around. Are these what I'm looking for?_"

A few moments later he replied, "_Uh, oh. Sadie says that the white phosphorus must have been chemically changed by the short circuit into black phosphorus, and those won't work. But they can be changed back into their white form if you can somehow heat them to over 900 degrees. First they'll turn red, then back to white. After that, you can start replacing them_."

"_Well, I guess my plasma might just do the trick if I ramp it up a few notches_."

She carefully experimented with one atom, firing a focused blast of concentrated plasma at it. The atom responded within seconds, dutifully changing from black to red, then to white.

"_Spankin! Now to see if it finally fits back where it's supposed to_."

Kim picked up the atom, which vibrated in her hand like a microscopic top. She placed it back within the empty spot on the silicon crystal, where it began softly glowing.

"_Super! That seems to work great. Now to ramp up my repair speed with a little help from all of my doubles_."

She quickly replicated herself into fifty identical Kims and announced, "_Okay, girls. We know what we hav__e to do. Let's get to work."_

After a few moments, Ron spoke up, sounding a little out of sorts. "_Uh, KP? Viewing this scene through the eyes of fifty Kims simultaneously is making me dizzy, and I'm starting to feel a little crummy in the tummy. Mind if I sit this one out until you're done?_"

All fifty Kims giggled at once, sending back a cheerful message. "_No problem, Ron. With luck, we should have this all repaired in about an hour or so._"

"_Thanks, KP._" As he faded from her mind, he sent a parting thought. "_Wow, Kim. __I'm probably gonna have to start calling __you Atomic Girl from now on..._"

The Kim duplicates went right to work with their quantum repairs. An hour later, Kim reappeared back in the cabin with a relieved smile on her face. "Okay, everyone. All the damage has been repaired, so now we can..."

But her smile quickly faded when she spotted the glum look on everyone's face.

"Um, okay. So what's the sitch?"

Shego began, "Kim, we have a little problem. The Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer is totally fried."

"And there's nothing I can do to fix it," Drakken added. "The Kepler's last time jump literally melted all its circuitry into a pool of slag. Not even _your _powers could repair it now, Kimberly. If I had the schematics, I might be able to eventually rebuild one. But those plans no doubt went up in a cloud of smoke, right along with the Earth."

Kim's optimism wavered for a moment. "Wow, that's pretty bad news, all right. So what you're saying is, even though the Kimpossibility Drive is fixed and we can now travel anywhere we want, we can no longer do a time jump back to before the Earth was wrecked?"

Shego intoned, "That's about the size of it. And you better sit down, it gets even worse. I've just spent the last hour reviewing the comm logs I retrieved from the other Kepler. As it turns out, we never left the alternate universe we created when we first got here."

Kim replied with a shocked look, "What!? Are you sure?"

"Positive. Take a look."

Shego punched the playback button. On the screen, Kim and Shego appeared. But instead of her trademark red tresses, Kim was now a striking blonde. Shego still wore her classic black and green harlequin catsuit, but her dark hair was now striped with green highlights, and she wore a patch over her left eye.

Quickly recovering, Kim quipped, "Well, nice fashion statement, Shego. Any idea how you got that?"

"Probably in battle with Zorpox, I suppose."

Kim grimaced. "Very funny, Shego."

But the look on Shego's face was deadly serious. "I'm not kidding, Kim. I'll play back the last couple of messages for you. They pretty much explain everything. But I'm warning you, this ain't very pretty."

As the first transmission began, Zorpox appeared on the Kepler's viewscreen grinning from ear to ear while the parallel universe Kim and Shego appeared on the other side of the split screen.

"Well, Kimberley Anne. Once again you have escaped my clutches, but I promise that your trifling victory will be very short lived."

The alternate Kim gave a dismissive wave of her hand and airily replied, "Oh, _puhleeze_. Spare us your evil banter and get to the point, Zorpox."

"Very well, my lovely wife."

Kim slammed her fist down hard on the control panel. "Don't you _ever _call me that again, Zorpox! I married Ron, _not you!_"

"Rant all you wish, Kimberley. But no matter whether it was Ronald or me, we _were_ married."

"Yeah, for all of twenty minutes, you bastard. That is, until Warmonga abducted Ron and Drakken from our wedding reception. And now that Ron's spirit is stuck in never-never land, you can consider the marriage permanently off!"

He wagged his finger in warning. "Tut-tut, my angel. I will give you one last chance. Return to Lorwardia and rule at my side, under my direction of course, and we will conquer the galaxy together! And together with Shego as our sidekick, we shall truly be... _unstoppable_, if you'll pardon the pun."

Kim growled back, "I _don't_ pardon the pun, and I'll see you in _hell_ first before that ever happens. Especially if I ever get my hands around your scrawny little neck again!"

Shego interjected, "And that goes double for me, Zorpy. Don't think that I'll ever forget that you snuffed Drakken in your little duel to the death last year while determining who'd be the Great Blue. Then you followed that by your assassination of both Warmonga and Emperor Warhafter."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "So I've got nothing left to lose."

Ignoring their threats, he easily continued, "Oh, but that is where you are both so _very _wrong. You still have the entire Earth to lose. But if you will agree to my demands, I will in return spare your pitiful planet and everyone on it. Otherwise, I virtually guarantee its destruction within, let's see, one week's time perhaps?"

Kim replied with a dry laugh. "Oh? And just how are you going to accomplish _that_?"

His red-goggled eyes narrowed in evil pleasure. "At the risk of sounding trite, that's, that's for me to know and you to find out, hmmmm? You may indeed be immune to my Mystical Monkey Power, and command a ship that can defeat any Lorwardian battlecruiser that might pass your way, but you can't possibly protect the entire planet from my insatiable wrath forever."

Kim snarled back, "Wanna bet? You're so not the drama, Zorpox."

He grinned back fiercely. "Have it your way then, Kimberley Anne. _Ah-booyah-ha-ha-hah!_"

As Zorpox cut the connection, the recording ended with a fierce scream of frustration from the alternate Kim, followed by an angry discharge of her plasma.

The real Kim's jaw hung open in shock. "So in this universe, Warmonga abducted Ron and Drakken at the reception rather than at our wedding?"

Ron shivered. "And I must have somehow activated Zorpox in my battle to the death with Drakken, then adding Warmonga and the Lorwardian Emperor to the gorchy tally."

Drakken looked fearfully over at Ron. "But, er, that could never happen _here_, could it?"

Ron assured him, "No way, Dr. D. _Our_ Zorpox was permanently taken care of last year. He's not coming back."

Shego added, "Except maybe in Kimmie's nightmares, as you discovered. So let's all just hope that remains the case. I'm not looking forward to becoming _anyone_'_s_ sidekick ever again, especially his."

Drakken looked like he was about to question that, but Shego quickly cut him off with a look of warning.

"Wife, yes. Sidekick, no. Got it?"

He flashed her a weak smile, silently nodding back in tacit agreement.

The second transmission began as a grim and tired looking Kim signaled the Earth.

"This is the Kepler. Come in please. Dad, it's Kim. The message from Ron was a ruse. It was Zorpox all along masquerading as Ron in order to ambush us. Why he tried to lure us back to Lorwardia is anyone's guess, but at least I saw through his ploy fast enough and fought him to a draw."

"Roger that, Kimmie-cub. Unfortunately, I think I know exactly why he lured you two there. Homeworld Security has just picked up eleven large asteroids headed directly for the Earth. It's statistically impossible for that to occur naturally, so I have no doubt that Zorpox is somehow behind it. Especially since it smacks of his typical modus operandi: bigger is always better."

Kim paled even further. "This is definitely so the drama, Dad. And it explains the strange message we just got from him, that if Shego and I would join him at his side in galactic conquest, he would spare the Earth. So exactly how much time do we have?"

"The first one will hit just over six days from now, with the rest impacting every six hours thereafter."

"But that's our current ETA back on Earth! There may not even be enough time for me to try and stop the first one!"

James massaged the bridge of his nose. "Yes, I know, Kim. And the entire planet is in a total panic."

Kim let out a heavy sigh. "I guess he figured that with Shego and I either out of the way or else allied with him, he'd have a clear shot at Earth's destruction. He's been itching for a rematch ever since we creamed the Lorwardian invasion last year."

"I concur. That's why our defensive strategy has been to reverse engineer and replicate the Lorwardian weapons we captured at the time as quickly as possible. Our present defensive array may even be enough to incinerate the first few asteroids, as they're relatively small. But we stand virtually no chance against all eleven of them."

"Not if I have anything to say about it. I think our best bet is for me to use our onboard Kinematic Continuum Disruptor against them. At least it's been effective against any Lorwardian battlecruiser that's dared to approach Earth in the meantime."

"That's true, Kim, but don't forget that its aperture limit is only around ten kilometers. It may be effective against possibly the first couple of asteroids, but the rest are too large to completely disrupt. We'd just end up with a massive swarm of asteroid debris, which would be just as deadly."

Kim flashed him a conspiratorial grin. "We may actually have one other option now, Dad. While I was fighting Zorpox, Shego managed to retrieve the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer that one his covert operatives had stolen from Global Justice."

Shego gloated, "Yeah, and it felt real good to flex my _own_ covert skills again after so long. There's not a security system in existence on Earth _or _Lorwardia that I can't crack."

Kim smiled in approval. "There's no doubt that Zorpox would have tried to use the PDVI as a weapon against us, but now that we've turned the tables on him, the ball's in our court. So, what are the chances that you could somehow develop it into a weapon of some kind so we can send all those asteroids completely into the next spankin' dimension?"

James pondered, "Well, I suppose it's possible, but with a deadline of barely a week, that's a pretty tall order. I'll have Wade and the other scientists at MIST do some preliminary research right away, since that sounds like our best option."

He gave her a sad look as he continued, "It's really too bad that Drew isn't still around to assist us. He was the real expert on that device."

Shego grimly replied, "Yeah, but after Zorpox defeated him in combat last year and became the official Great Blue, there wasn't even enough of Drew left to bury. And I ended up like this."

She angrily thrust a finger at her eyepatch.

"I know Kim still holds out hope that Ron's evil genie can be put back in his bottle, but I just want to kill the bastard for what he did."

Kim growled, "But since Yori died trying to do just that, I'm no longer pulling any punches. I'd rather die first before I lose anyone else on my watch. So after we save the Earth, we make it our top priority to take out Zorpox, by any means possible."

She flashed a sardonic grin. "Even if we _were_ married just twenty minutes."

James interrupted, "Stand by, Kim. Another message is coming in."

He clicked off, returning a few moments later. "Kim, make that _twelve _asteroids. Zorpox certainly is taking no chances in guaranteeing that he'll smash the Earth into bits."

Kim scoffed, "Whoa, overkill much?"

"Surrrrre seems like it. And our radar shows they're all coming from the direction of Mars. The report also confirms that they're the ten closest asteroids to Mars, plus the Martian moons of Phobos and Deimos."

"Mars moons too, huh? So, any idea how he's managing to fling all those space rocks at us? If it's a weapon of some kind, we might be able to capture it and somehow reverse the process. Do you think a Lorwardian ship would be powerful enough to do that?"

James wagged his head. "I doubt it, Kim. It would probably take their entire fleet just to tractor a single asteroid. The amount of energy needed to launch all twelve of them and at the speed they're heading toward us would definitely require a ground-based facility. My guess is that it's probably located somewhere on the Martian surface. But even if such a facility exists, and by some miracle you find it, by the time you arrive here the asteroids will probably be too far away to recapture. So it looks like it all depends on us finding a way to turn that vortex inducer into an asteroid vaporizer."

"And on each of us taking our best shot at those first couple of asteroids," Kim grimly added.

"I know you'll do your best, Kimmie-cub, as will I." He continued with a sardonic chuckle. "I guess that this will be the ultimate test of our boast that anything's possible for a Possible."

"Well, if we pull this off, it will be one for the record books, that's for sure. So good luck, Dad. We're ready to make our jump to hyperlight, so we'll be out of contact until we arrive in Terran space. And give Mom and the Tweebs my love: I just hope it's not the very last time that I'll be able to. Kepler out."

Kim tearfully looked at Ron. "But it _was_ the last time, wasn't it?"

Ron grimly added, "Looks like it. And with Yori gone, there was no Yoronfus to rein in Zorpox."

Without a word, Shego pushed the button to play back the next transmission.

"Kepler to Earth. Do you read me, Dad?"

"Loud and clear, Kimmie-cub."

"We've just dropped out of hyperspace 100,000 kilometers above the Earth. It was a risky maneuver, but I've grown to trust Shego's spankin' piloting skills, so we're just an hour away from planetfall. What's your status?"

"Kim, the first asteroid will hit in 30 minutes, but our disruptor array is fully operational and charged to 97% capacity. As long as we hit it straight on, we have an excellent chance of taking it out. And more good news, I think we've found a way to use the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer as a weapon against even the largest of those asteroids. I'll explain the full details to you when I see you in person, just in case the Lorwardians are monitoring this channel. The down side is that the only power source great enough to operate it is the Kimpossibility Drive itself. We also estimate that it will take a minimum of twelve hours to complete the work. Nevertheless, we'll be ready to start as soon as you land. But first we've got to take care of the first incoming asteroid. Stand by…"

A few seconds later, a distraught James Possible reappeared. "Kim, we've just fired the array, and the good news is that we've blasted that first asteroid into dust. The bad news is that the discharge blew out just about every electrical relay on the planet. It'll be days if not weeks before we can effect the necessary repairs."

Kim offered a grim smile. "Well then, I guess it's up to us to stop the rest of them."

After doing some quick calculations, she announced, "We have just enough time to vector the Kepler and intercept the second asteroid before it strikes. Then we'll land so you can connect the PDVI before the rest of those wrongsick rocks hit. We'll contact you once we're finished. Kepler out."

The present Kim commented, "Well, it looks like your an expert pilot in _two _universes, Shego."

She winced, "Maybe. But as you'll see, this game's not over yet."

Shego began playing the last message. The transmission was barely readable and full of static. Even so, Kim could tell that her counterpart was now wearing a spacesuit.

"Kepler to Earth. Dad, it's Kim."

"Kim! Your transmission is extremely weak. I can barely read you! What's happened?"

"The worst possible news, Dad. I increased the Kinematic Continuum Disruptor's aperture to its maximum, but that conversely diluted its strength, and I only managed to split the asteroid into several hundred fragments. Many of them are still large enough to cause an extinction event if they hit the Earth. Even worse, Zorpox booby-trapped the asteroid with a nuclear device, and the electromagnetic pulse from that has shorted out most of our systems. I've cross-circuited the controls so we that we at least have some maneuvering ability and control over our plasma weapons, but I have to target them manually. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to complete those repairs before several asteroid fragments knocked out both the continuum disruptor as well as our stardrive, and we're presently operating on emergency reserve power."

The image wavered as the Kepler was struck by another asteroid.

"Our hull has been compromised in three places, including one near the bridge. Shego may be the best star pilot around, but there are just too many asteroids to evade. We just managed to get into our spacesuits in time, but even with our combined powers, we won't be able to repair the Kepler before our oxygen runs out, and we'd burn up in the atmosphere first if we tried to land."

"But Kim, that means..."

Kim took a deep breath before continuing. "It means we're not going to make it, Dad. But our plasma disruptors are still functional, and we're taking out as many of the asteroid fragments as possible before our power levels are..."

She suddenly looked down at a blinking red light on her control panel, then sadly back at the comm unit.

Her voice was now trembling. "We've just exhausted our last energy reserves. We have no power left to fire the disruptors. I estimate that you only have a few minutes left before the first fragments impact. I'm sorry, Dad. We tried our best, but... but it just wasn't good enough."

James ashen face wavered through the rapidly increasing interference. He softly continued, "Kim, you've been doing the impossible all of your life. It was inevitable that one day the law of averages would catch up you."

"Yeah, but what a time for our luck to run out. Now the Earth is doomed, and us with it."

Through bitter tears, she continued her lament. "If Ron had had my back, we might have made it somehow. But now that he's Zorpox, he's stabbed us in the back instead. But if by some miracle we live through this, I will personally fly back to Lorwardia and place the Kimpossibility Drive on overload, and suck their entire planet into the biggest black hole this side of the galactic center!"

The transmission became increasingly snowy and garbled as she gave her final valediction. "I love you, Dad. I wish you and the Earth all the ferocious luck in the world. And maybe you and Wade can still pull a rabbit out of your collective hats. But if the worst happens, I'll either see you in heaven, or Zorpox in hell. This is the Kepler IV, signing off."

The transmission faded to black. The cabin was silent for nearly an entire minute, no one daring to speak a word as the enormity of the tragedy sank in.

Finally, Kim tearfully looked up at Ron, who returned her sad gaze with one of his own. Suddenly they were in each other's arms, Kim's tears running down her cheeks and onto his shoulder.

"Ron, I love you so much. You've always had my back, and together we've always found a way through any of our challenges, no matter what we were up against. And now you've even pursued me across space and time, as well as a whole other _universe_ in order to rescue me. And against all odds, you've done it. But the fate of this parallel Earth has underscored something I've probably known all along, but never fully realized until now."

She looked deep into his dark brown eyes and intoned, "I may be the girl who can do anything, but I know now that I can't do it without you. In this universe, or any other."

He continued to hold her tight. "Thanks, Kim. That means a lot to me to hear you say that. And I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. But don't forget, it's the Kim Factor with just a splash of Ron that will probably end up saving us."

Kim grinned back, "Well, don't sell yourself short, Mr. Monkey Master. That's why we've always called it _Team_ Possible. It's never really been just a one-woman show. Right, Rufus?"

The naked mole rat eagerly nodded back in the affirmative while Ron speculated, "I just wonder what part _you_ played in this dimension, Rufus. I just hope you didn't turn to the dark side along with Zorpox."

Rufus shivered at the thought and exclaimed, "_Uh-uh!_ _No way!_"

But Ron immediately felt a strange emptiness regarding his tiny friend's place in this universe, one he knew he'd have to find the reason for before returning home. But that would have to wait for now.

Kim continued, "Well, teamwork is going to be the name of the game if we're going to get out of this sitch alive and save the Earth."

She first turned to Shego. "So you and I are going to search the other Kepler and retrieve their PDVI. If it's still in one piece, we may be able to somehow adapt it for our own use. It may be our only hope for returning to our own dimension."

Kim next turned to Drakken. "And in this universe, my Dad said that he'd found a way to turn the PDVI into a weapon of some kind, so we know it can be done. But we'll need you to attach it to the Kimpossibility Drive first so we can get home. You think you can do that without either blowing us up or sending us into yet another dimension?"

Drakken thought long and hard for a moment, recalling many a time when his evil plans had literally blown up in his face. And a lot more was on the line now.

He cautiously began, "While under the sway of my megalomania in the past, I would usually forget some key item or procedure, which would lead to ultimate failure."

Ron added, "Either that, or else Rufus and I would step in and give the _coupe dee grassy_ to your latest doomsday weapon while Kim and Shego were busy duking it out. Failure was the only option for you back then, Dr. D. But now that we're all on the same side, maybe I can, uh, watch your back too?"

Shego blanched at the thought. "Stoppable watching _Drew's_ back? Now I _know_ we're all doomed."

Kim laughed, "Hey, give 'em a chance, huh? Failure is so not the option right now."

Drakken nodded. "Indeed. And as I've discovered over the past year, when I'm sufficiently motivated..."

He shot his wife a sidelong glance. "... and have Shego's _complete _support instead of her continual, incessant mocking, the sky is literally the limit to what I can accomplish."

She was about to say something about his head still being in the clouds, but opted for a slightly more polite reply."Yeah, it used to be all about the mocking, but that's changed now. Because I'm no longer your sidekick, I'm your wife and partner, just like Kim and Ron are now."

She let out a sardonic chuckle. "And for me to actually make a positive comment about our former enemies must mean I'm getting soft. But never forget that I still wear the pants suit in this relationship, Drew."

Returning Drakken's sidelong glance with one of her own, she finished, "So I'll forgo my usual snarkiness for the time being. Just don't screw up again, okay?"

"Please and thank you?" Kim added before concluding, "And since Zorpox has been banished from my mind for good, we've got a fighting chance now. If not for this dimension's Earth, then for our own at least. So let's suit up, Shego."

As they started preparing for their search, Ron ventured, "Kim, while you and Shego are on your mini-mission, I think I need to pay this dimension's astral plane a little visit. All we really know about anything that's happened here is what we just saw on the Kepler's comm logs. And there may still be someone out there who can provide us with a few more answers, especially about using the PDVI as an anti-asteroid weapon. Uh, assuming he hasn't already gone into the light, that is."

Kim touched his cheek and whispered, "You mean this universe's Ron, don't you? That actually sounds ferociously creepy to me, but probably no worse than facing my own physical remains, so I wish you luck. But just don't be gone too long, okay? We just got everything put back together here, so be careful. Please and thank you?"

She added a Puppy-Dog Pout for good measure, to which he rolled his eyes with a chuckle.

"Okay! Okay! I'll be careful, I promise."

She turned back to Shego. "All right then. Here goes noth..."

But the raven-haired princess shot her a look of warning before she could even finish her sentence.

"Uh, I guess I better make that, here goes _something_. And I still don't know exactly how yet, but I promise we'll get through this with all of our hides intact."

Kim gave Rufus a friendly glance. "Human or otherwise..."

_**TBC in one week...**_


	28. Alternate Sitch

_Booyah! A new chapter as promised, as we get ever closer to the grand finale. And a double booyah to this week's reviewers: CajunBear73, Eddy13, Bookworm Gal, Linzerj, pbow, Sentinel103, AlphaSeymour, Beckman, OMAC001, whitem and Reader101w. So what's the sitch in this alternate dimension? Read on…_

* * *

As soon as Kim and Shego left, Ron took a deep breath and began his relaxation routines. He had a feeling that this next visit to the astral plane would be uncomfortable at best, but he owed it to himself to do what he could for his counterpart, as well as gain whatever intel he could to save his own Earth.

"_That is, if I can even find him_."

Rufus sent him a brief thought. "_Mind if I tag along_?"

"_Not this time, Rufus. I've got a sneaking suspicion that this trip may not be a very pleasant one_, _especially for you._"

Ron closed his eyes and projected his spirit onto the astral plane. It was just as strikingly beautiful as in his own dimension, with breathtaking vistas and sparkling paths seemingly defying gravity as they led every which way throughout the expanse. He also sensed at once that it was very similar to his own, but not identical. He began by broadcasting the strongest mental signal he could summon, one he would have never imagined he'd ever be trying to send.

"_Ron? It's, uh... Ron. And not Zorpox-Ron, it's Ron-Ron."_

_He smiled inwardly. "A-do-Ron-Ron. And if you're wondering how that's possible, I'm from another dimension, so it's coolio. Can you hear me_?"

He stretched out with his mind, reaching across incomprehensibly vast distances, his spirit attuned to the slightest response.

He gasped as he felt a presence, in fact, one nearly identical to himself. He moved toward it and sensed its move toward him, along with… another.

In the far distance, a form appeared, accompanied by similar kindred spirit. As the beings drew closer, they began to coalesce into a recognizable appearance.

As they stopped before him, Ron smiled and softly queried, "Ron Stoppable, I presume?"

The redheaded young man nodded. "Yeah, I'm Ron Stoppable. But who are you? You look exactly like me, except that, uh, you're blond."

"That's because I _am_ you. Just dropping by from the universe next door."

He took a deep breath and bowed deeply to his doppelganger's companion.

"And it is my honor to see you again, Yori."

But the young female spirit remained silent, suspicion clouding her features.

He looked up hopefully. "It's really me, Yori-girl. Cross my heart."

She spoke carefully, mistrust still apparent on her face. She challenged him with a terse question. "You are not Zorpox?"

"No. Absolute-a-mentay not."

Her visage indicated that she remained unconvinced. Nevertheless, Ron felt her mind briefly brush his own. She immediately commented, "You seem very similar to my Ron-san, but I sense none of the pervasive evil of Zorpox. Still, it could be a clever ploy to trick us."

The alternate Ron agreed. "Yes, but I do sense the same Mystical Monkey Power within him, and that energy is quite strong. But no matter what level of power he commands, only a trained adept like you or me could possibly travel to this plane."

He gave Ron another long, hard look. "So, what is your purpose here, me-from-another-dimension?"

He gave a little shrug. "Well, on the one hand I'm looking for a little 411. Due to one really wrongsick accident, Kim and I have gotten trapped in this parallel universe."

The other Ron's eyes widened in shocked surprise. He breathlessly uttered a single name.

"Kim?"

Ron nodded. "Yes. Along with Rufus, Drakken and Shego."

His double gave him a perplexed look. "Drakken and Shego I've heard of, but who's Rufus?"

Now it was Ron's turn to look surprised. "You mean you've never heard of Rufus? The naked mole rat who's been your best bud ever since your freshman year at Middleton High? Only Kim has been a closer friend, and he's saved our bacon more times than I can even count. He's even gifted with Mystical Monkey Power himself, since he got caught in the rays of those jade idols the same time I did."

The twin Ron shook his head. "Nope, sorry. I've never had a pet because of Dad's allergies."

"Yeah, I know. But since Rufus has no fur or hair, he was a perfect choice. But not only that. Back in my dimension, Rufus and I joined our spirits together with Yori and successfully fought Zorpox for control of my own body. We nicknamed our fusion _Yoronfus_, and we won bon-diggity big-time."

The redhead's shoulders sagged. "Well, that must have been badical for you, but with the Earth wiped out, I don't think there's much hope left in finding a way to do the same."

Ron frowned, "Yeah, and something tells me you've already tried that at least a few times already."

With bitterness in her voice, Yori added, "Yes, alternate Ron-san. And the attempt cost me my life. Now I await the end here with my Ron-san."

The duplicate Ron whined, "And even if I _could_ reinhabit my body, what good would that do me? I'd be the last human alive, which probably would mean the Lorwardians would place one ginormous price on my head and hunt me down no matter how far away I tried to run. Even with Mystical Monkey Power, I can't hope to defend myself indefinitely from an entire planet of those wrongsick ogres."

Ron felt a powerful affinity with his opposite number, along with a sense of the tremendous loss that they had suffered. But his first duty remained with his Earth, and his Kim.

"Believe me, I'm really sorry how everything's turned out here, but my own Earth still exists. But not for long, unless Kim and I can do something about it, pronto. So any info you could give me would be _muy_ appreciated. Even something that might otherwise seem relatively minor or obscure could make all the difference."

His counterpart's eyes narrowed. "So I suppose if I let you into my mind, you would get the answers you want as well as some helpful intel, right?"

Ron excitedly exclaimed, "Exactly! And in return, maybe I could offer you a little help too, if that's possible. So what are we waiting for?"

The other Ron hesitated. "Yeah, but do I trust you enough to let you into my mind? If you're really Zorpox in disguise, you'd gain all the remaining secrets of the Mystical Monkey Masters. And if he somehow managed to tap into that, the entire galaxy would be his for the taking."

He gave a sardonic laugh. "If it's not already, that is. Knowing his avarice, the astral plane would probably be his next target, and he'd no doubt try to destroy me and Yori once and for all."

Ending with a firm shake of his head, he declared, "No. No matter who you really are, the risk is just too big."

Ron pursed his lips in dismay. "Well, I can see your point, and I can't say I blame you one bon-diggety bit. It's just that our time here is limited, and we'll be trying to return to our own universe as soon as we can fix the doohickey that got us here in the first place."

He let out a discouraged sigh. "I just wish there was some way I could absolutely prove to you that I'm exactly who I say I am."

Yori suddenly brightened up. "I believe there is, One-who-claims-to-be-Stoppable-san."

She whirled around with a look of hope. "Ron-san, if the other Kim-chan is here, you could test the waters first with her. Not even Zorpox could imitate your departed wife."

Ron chuckled. "Not to mention that you'll also find Shego and Drakken very much alive, plus the fact that you'll discover two identical Kepler spacecraft."

He winced. "Well, other than the huge holes in your Kepler."

The alternate Ron nodded in agreement. "Hmm, not a bad idea, and there wouldn't be any room for doubt. So, would you mind staying here while I do a little recon? I shouldn't take me too long."

Ron nodded. "No problemo. Just follow my astral cord back to my physical body. Drakken and Rufus should be right there, and Kim and Shego should be returning soon."

Without another word, his double disappeared, leaving Ron alone with the alternate Yori. They were both silent for several uncomfortable moments before Ron spoke up.

"Well, this is awkweird."

A trace of a smile crossed Yori's face. "Indeed. And your humorous use of American idioms brings smile to my face, just like my own Ron once did. Your demeanor and mannerisms would be difficult enough for Zorpox to imitate, but your unique energy signature cannot be duplicated by any means I am aware of. I now certain you are who you say, Stoppable-san-from-another-dimension."

His mood brightened immediately. "Well, _that's_ a relief! Now all we need to do is convince your own Ron-san once he returns."

She continued to look at him, but her expression had now changed from one of doubt to one of wistfulness. It gave Ron a strange feeling.

"So, Yori-girl. Have you, uh, been tempted to go into the light and begin your own eternal rest?"

"Yes, alternate Stoppable-san. But Ron-san and I have pledged first to do whatever we can to ultimately defeat Zorpox. Only then can we allow ourselves to travel to what lies beyond. We cannot allow ourselves that unimaginable bliss so long as Zorpox is alive and plotting takeover of entire galaxy. It may be too late for Earth, but to allow him free rein as the Emperor of the Lorwardians is completely unacceptable to us."

She stared pensively into the distance. "And not only that, but Ron-san would be permanently lost to me once we passed through the portal, where he would be reunited with his Kim-chan. At least here, in this beautiful place between the realities, I may continue to enjoy his presence."

Ron sensed a wave of bitterness flow from Yori, and he instantly realized that she had never gotten completely over this dimension's Ron. And it didn't take a genius to figure out why. He could easily read her thoughts of longing, along with an earlier memory of betrayal at the hands of Hirotaka. And although math had never been his strong subject, he could still add two plus two.

"So, when you met this dimension's Ron, he became your rebound."

Yori nodded. As she did so, he was nearly overwhelmed by another of Yori's memories, this one a wave of intense, unbridled passion.

Ron gasped. "Holy guacamole! But it didn't stop just there…"

"No." A dreamy smile broke out on Yori's face.

"So you mean that you and Ron, uh…"

Yori began to blush deeply. "Yes, during the summer that we first met at Yamanouchi. Hirotaka had already announced that he was permanently leaving Yamanouchi in order to take a wife in a distant land, and that this would happen immediately after he completed the same exchange program that brought Ron-san to me. He was very comforting in my sorrow and loneliness at the time, and we became close friends. By that time the summer break was upon us, so he stayed here for several more months, and we eventually became lovers as well as friends."

Ron was taken aback by this revelation. "Whoa. But you were both only sixteen and still in high school, right?"

She offered him an apologetic smile. "This is true, but the age of consent is much lower here in Japan than in America, so technically, no rules were broken."

He softly continued, "But what about Kim?"

She replied just as softly, "Although Ron-san shared a deep friendship with Kim-chan, he was not involved romantically with her nor anyone else at that time. But I grew to realize that his destiny would soon lead him on a new path, and that path was ultimately toward Kim-chan, and away from me. Sadly, we were eventually forced to part. It was difficult for me to accept at first, but my sense of duty and honor eventually helped me to cope with my loss."

She gave him a coquettish look. "I suspect that the Yori of your dimension came to that realization as well, but much earlier than I."

Ron reflexively reached for the back of his neck in his usual embarrassed way. "Uh, yeah, she sorta did. My Yori barely gave me a peck on the cheek when she said _sayonara_ after I met her the second time. But _Kim_ could sure tell that she was crushin.' So, I can understand that under your circumstances it must have been really hard for you to let him go, especially knowing he'd eventually end up with Kim."

She gave him a deeply haunting look. "More than you can possibly know, Ron-san-from-beyond."

He cleared his throat awkwardly. If he had been back in his own body, it would have been sweating profusely by now. "In our, uh, mutual defense, I don't think either of us realized at the time how, well, certain relationships were going to work out, or not, and…"

A faint smile crossed her lips. "I do understand, Stoppable-san. Nevertheless, I felt constrained by my duty, and it was my honor to let him go. But here in this region between the great realities, I can hold on to those memories and share with Ron-san what once was."

Another look of longing passed across her features. "It is great irony however that as wondrously beautiful as this place is, we are still incorporeal, and cannot enjoy any of the physical aspects of love we once shared together. However, we may still unreservedly share both our minds and thoughts."

Her voice began to trail off wistfully. "And our memories…"

Ron remained silent for a time, trying to make sense of everything he had just heard. "Man, you've taken your honor and duty to nearly an eternal level, while holding on to whatever little you have left. That's really noble, but at the same time really sad, Yori. I just wish there was something I could do to help."

Yori suddenly brightened up. "Perhaps there is, Ron-san. Stay with us, here, in our universe. Using your physical body, perhaps we three can combine into one entity, and defeat Zorpox as you did with Yoronfus."

Ron's eyebrows shot up at the thought. "Wow, come to think of it, that might actually work. But as much as I'd love to see Zorpox get his just desserts, there's still my own Earth to worry about. There's still a chance for my world, and it will be _my_ honor to help Kim try and rescue it, first and foremost. So in all fairness, I really think I need to say no to that idea right now."

Yori showed no outward reaction, appearing to take Ron's answer in stride with almost Zen-like fatalism.

"I… believe I understand, Ron-san. Were our positions reversed, I should think I would come to similar conclusion."

But Ron could tell that inwardly she was deeply dismayed by his answer. He tried hard to think of something, anything to say that would ease her burden or give her a glimmer of hope.

He continued haltingly, "But, uh, maybe once my own Earth is out of danger, we can try to figure out some way to return and help you. And I hope you can understand that I'm still trying to wrap my mind around all this time-travelling dimension-hopping I've just been doing in order to rescue Kim and Shego. Even with the power of _my_ imagination, I would have never dreamed _half_ of what's happened over the past few days."

He gave a self-conscious laugh. "Hey, if someone had told me last week that I'd be meeting my own doppel-monkey-master in another dimension today, I would have told him which looney bin he could check himself into. But now? Well, that's all changed. So if a way can be found, we'll find it."

A trace of a smile reappeared on Yori's face. "I believe you, Ron-san. I do not hold you to your implicit promise, but I know that you will do what you can. In our dimension, Kim-chan always said that anything was possible for a Possible. And knowing the power of your imagination, perhaps you too will discover a way for us to defeat Zorpox…"

* * *

Meanwhile, the other Ron had finally arrived back on the physical plane. He took a look at his double's quiescent physical form and chuckled. "_Well, I guess he really was telling the truth. And hey,_ _I actually don't look too bad with blond hair_."

At that moment, Kim and Shego returned through the airlock, beaming in pleasure at their success. Ron gasped at the sight of Kim. "_Wow. And Kim looks just as good with red hair too. But she'd probably look great in any dimension, come to think of it._"

He sighed deeply as he drank in her beautiful visage.

But his tender thoughts evaporated as soon as Drakken appeared from the other compartment. He walked up to Kim and asked hopefully, "So, did you find it? And is it still in one piece?"

"Yes, and we think so. Take a look."

Kim handed him the PDVI, which he carefully rolled over in his hands. "Yes, it seems undamaged, although I'll certainly have to run a few tests first. Still hard to believe that something so small could be so incredibly powerful."

"_So, Dr. D's still alive and well in this dimension. Good for him_."

Rufus scurried up the former mad scientist's trouser leg, tentatively sniffing at the device.

"_And that must be Ron's naked mole rat, the one he spoke so highly of_. _Man,_ _I envy them all_."

He suddenly had an idea, but just as quickly dismissed it. "_Whoa. The power of imagination is one thing, but I don't think Ron would appreciate… but still, maybe he wouldn't mind if I kinda borrowed his form, maybe just a few minutes? Just to make sure it's really him and not Zorpox..._"

The temptation to reinhabit his counterpart's physical form was overwhelming. He quickly reconsidered, finally deciding that he could justify this action under the circumstances. "_Just as long as I keep it short_…"

He carefully entered his double's body, taking in his first breath of actual air in months. "Wow, coolio! This body's so close to the real thing that it's almost identical!"

"What was that, Ron?" Kim looked over at him, curiosity apparent on her face.

He gasped, not realizing that he had just voiced that thought out loud.

Ron grumbled to himself, "_Oh, Fuji. I'll just be so much toast if this Kim catches on_. _And if she's anything like my Kim, that's gonna be inevitable…_"

He looked over at her as she approached. Not being able to resist staring, he began to break out in a sweat.

Kim gave him a curious look. "Uh, find what you were looking for, Monkey Boy?"

He grinned back sheepishly. "Yeah, actually."

"_Which is no lie. This Ron really IS Ron. And Kim looks more lovely than I've ever seen her before_…"

A tear began to trickle down one cheek. "_No! I've got to keep it together. Can't blow my cover_…"

Kim looked at him tenderly. "So, you found him, huh? What's he like in this universe? A lot like you, I suppose?"

"Yeah. More than you could possibly know, Kim."

She smiled as she gently touched his face. Unable to resist any longer, he swiftly embraced her, giving her a deeply passionate kiss.

She broke away after a few seconds and gasped, "Whoa, Ron! What gives? It's like you haven't seen me for months! What's the sitch here?"

Ron stuttered, "It's, uh, just that I've missed you, Kim. A lot. I just couldn't help myself."

A look of understanding appeared on her face. "Well, considering I was actually dead for six minutes not more than a half hour ago, that's understandable."

His eyes shot wide open in surprise, but instantly realized that this dimension's Ron would have already known that, and quickly changed the subject. "So, I see you were able to retrieve the PDVI. But will it work, and will it get you back to your… I mean, our universe?"

He began to blush deeply at his faux pas.

Kim cocked one eyebrow. "Uh, you okay, Ron? You seem a lot more nervous than usual, which is actually saying quite a lot."

Rufus began to sniff at him suspiciously. Physically, Ron still seemed the same as before, but something told him all was not right here. He reached out with his tiny mole rat mind, suddenly letting out a terrified shriek.

Kim instantly heard his alarming thought within her mind. "_That's not Ron! At least, not OUR Ron_…"

She instantly dropped into a defensive stance, lighting up her hands up with bright green flame. Taking the hint, Shego immediately did likewise.

Ron's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "Whoa-ho-_ho_! So you _both_ have plasma powers?"

His shoulders sagged as he realized he had just definitively confirmed everyone's suspicions.

"Oops."

Kim growled, "You have exactly five seconds to tell me who you are, and what the hell you're doing in Ron's body."

Giving out one last dejected sigh, he raised both hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, I'm busted. Even though we're nearly identical, I should have figured you'd smoke me out before too long. So allow me to introduce myself."

With a flourish of one arm, he gave a deep bow. "Ron Stoppable of this present universe, at your service."

Kim shuddered. "So, _Ron_, what's your damage?"

Unabashed, he curtly replied, "Simple. I had to make sure that your Ron was really who he said he was, and not Zorpox pulling the wool over our eyes. With the Earth gone, there's nothing to stop him from taking over the entire galaxy except for me and Yori. Well, our spirits at least. My physical body is now totally under his control, and Yori… well, she doesn't even _have_ a body to go back to anymore. So I had to be sure with absolutely, positively, no ifs and or buts. Comprende?"

Kim began to relax. "Well, yeah, that actually kinda makes sense. But did you really have to kiss me to make sure I was really Kim?"

Just as her own Ron would do, his hand shot up to awkwardly scratch the back of his neck.

"Sorry, I… I just couldn't resist. Having lost you, then seeing you again, I… well, I kinda lost it."

Kim felt a wave of empathy as she realized that this dimension's Ron had loved his Kim every bit as much as her own did. Her own thoughts immediately flashed back to a time when she was certain that she had lost Ron, and she felt a visceral twinge at that painful memory.

"Yeah, I can relate. Just don't do that again, okay?"

"No problemo, KP. Anyway, I'm totally convinced now. So, your Ron was asking for any info on how to prevent what happened in our dimension from happening in yours."

"And?"

"Well, let's see." He scratched his chin in thought. "First, watch out for any asteroids booby-trapped with a nuke. Zorpox always has a Plan B."

"Well, fortunately we no longer need to deal with Zorpox, but WarRaptor has also displayed the ability to do contingency planning, so point taken."

"Next, make sure that any Kinematic Continuum Disruptors have their apertures set wide enough, but not so wide as to diffuse the effect."

"Yeah, we've noticed the results of that too. But that still may not be possible if they're set to the max already. Anything else, please and thank you?"

"Oh, yeah, there was one other thing. Mr. Dr. P had a real coolio idea about connecting the Kinematic Continuum Disruptor to the PDVI. Unfortunately I never got the details, and even worse, my Kim and Shego were running short on time and opted to go for the asteroids first, rather than landing on Earth and getting the PDVI hooked up. Other than that, I'm not sure if I can give you any other bon-diggity survival tips."

"How about the gravity weapon that the Lorwardians used to launch the asteroids at you in the first place? You have any intel on that?"

Ron grimaced. "Sorry, KP. I found out exactly where their base was located, but by then it was too late. Before I could get to Mars and use my monkey mind power to induce its crew to reverse the process, that dude named WarRaptor defected. And before he could reach Earth, pursuing forces disabled his ship, which he crashed into their base in a last-ditch suicide attack. But by that time Zorpox had already launched those wrongsick asteroids at us."

"Whoa, freaky. In our dimension, it was WarRaptor who launched those asteroids at Earth. But we took him out in a surprise attack, only to watch his ship crash into their Martian base. So that nixes my idea about doing any recon to discover the secrets of their asteroid flinger."

Ron shook his head. "Yeah. We have a saying on our Earth that irony can be pretty ironical."

Kim grinned back, "I think I remember our Ron saying the same thing once in a while." She breathed a thankful sigh. "Well, that's a whole lot right there, so thanks. Now if we can only find our way back to our own dimension. I know you're probably not a scientist like Wade or my father, but do you have any badical ideas on how we can make it back in one piece?"

Ron suddenly brightened up. "Well, I don't know about that, but _you_ could sure help _us_ against Zorpox. He wouldn't be expecting an attack from an alternate-universe Ron, Kim, Shego and Drakken, that's definitely for sure."

Rufus chattered angrily at the apparent snub, to which Ron merely smiled back.

"Sorry. And he sure wouldn't be expecting a naked mole rat with Mystical Monkey Power, either. So, what do you say? Pretty please?"

He gave a reasonable impression of a Puppy Dog Pout, which caused her to giggle.

Kim began to carefully consider the alternate Ron's suggestion. "Well, since there's a real good chance it could work, I don't see why not. Our similar team knocked the stuffing out of both Zorpox and the Lorwardians last year. And now that we have a new PDVI, we may be able to jump through time as well as space, so the actual amount of time we spend here probably won't make any difference. Right, Dr. Drakken?"

She gave the former mad scientist a hopeful look, who had already begun running some tests on the PDVI. He immediately frowned.

"Sadie, would you run a quick diagnostic on the Q19 circuit and compare with the baseline on our own PDVI? Something doesn't seem quite right."

With a whirring of circuits, Sadie quickly replied, "The baseline is off by 200 milliamps and is increasing rapidly. And the positive and negative leads are also reversed, possibly a manifestation of the electrical nature of this dimension."

Drakken's eyes widened perceptibly. "Well, _that's_ good to know. If I had hooked this up to our stardrive without checking, it would have shorted out immediately. The good news is that I can easily reverse the polarity."

He turned and gave them all a deeply concerned look. "The bad news is that this rapid baseline increase means the local field density between our two dimensions is also increasing exponentially."

Ron cautiously asked, "So what could be causing that, Dr. D?"

"Well, it's probably due to all of our recent time-jumping. But if I can't get this PDVI reconnected and operational within perhaps the next 30 minutes or so, it'll be a moot point. We're facing the point-of-no-return here."

Shego gasped, "You mean we could be stuck here permanently?"

Rufus immediately gave a tiny whimper and passed out, falling over on his back.

Kim huffed, "Well _that's _definitely so the drama. But assuming we make it back home, could we ever return to this dimension and help Ron out after we save our own world?"

Relays began furiously clicking as Sadie tried to calculate that likelihood. "Kim, it's theoretically possible, but difficult to confirm without more data. But the possibility does exist."

Kim turned back to Ron, regret etched on her features. "I'm sorry, Ron, but that's where we'll have to leave it. I won't sacrifice saving our own Earth for defeating Zorpox in this dimension, but once we succeed we'll do anything that's even remotely possible to help. No matter which universe we're in, anything's still possible for a Possible, and if the power of our own Ron's imagination is anything like yours, you can count on us coming up with something. I know it must be asking a lot, but I hope you can hold out here just a little while longer."

Ron looked disappointed, but after a moment began smiling back at her warmly. "Just seeing you again gives me hope, KP. Even if you are from another dimension."

He gave a contented sigh and continued, "But I better leave right now so that your own Ron can return, since that gorchy clock is definitely ticking."

He gave her a friendly wink. "But I have to admit that it would be _realllly_ tempting for me to stay, but that wouldn't be fair either to you or to my counterpart. And he's the one that really deserves the honor of watching your back."

Kim smiled back. "You are a being of integrity in both dimensions, Mr. Stoppable."

Ron winced. "Uh, KP? That sounds just like a line from episode 33 of Captain Constellation. By the way, did your Mr. Dr. P force feed that TV show into your head like he did with my Kim?"

Now it was Kim's turn to wince. "Yup, afraid so."

He gave a small shrug. "Huh, small universe. Or multiverse. Whatever. Well then, good luck, everybody. Oh, and have a Naco on me when you get back to your dimension. Bueno Nacho still makes their Six Alarm Hot Sauce, don't they?"

Kim sniggered. "It's Five Alarm in our universe, Ron."

He rolled his eyes. "Figures."

She spontaneously gave him a warm kiss goodbye. "Something to tide you over, at least until you're able to see your own Kim again."

"You really think I will?" Ron whispered hopefully.

"Call me an incurable romantic, but I'm almost positive. Especially considering the incredible odds we've beaten this far. And personally, I happen to like happy endings, no matter what dimension I may be in at the time."

"Thanks, Kim. Good luck." Ron gave her another wink before sitting down and leaving his counterpart's body.

Kim whispered back, "And good luck to you too, Ron. Somehow we'll find a way to make things right in your universe as well as ours."

A few minutes later, the real Ron re-entered his body and opened his eyes. He awoke to Kim's smiling face.

"Welcome back, Monkey Boy. And I assume that you _are _my very own Monkey Boy, and not some denizen of this current dimension?"

Ron smiled wistfully back before replying, "Yeah, KP, it's really me this time. Right, Rufus?"

His ever faithful mole rat closed his eyes, finally breathing a tiny sigh of relief as he gave a positive nod in confirmation.

A moment later, the smile disappeared from Ron's face as he looked sadly out of one of the portholes at the debris that was once the Earth.

"Kim, before I left the astral plane, the other Ron allowed me to meld with his mind, which gave me some additional 411 about this dimension. The Magellanic Cloud aliens apparently haven't made it to Earth here yet, so with no other alien allies and only one operational interplanetary ship, the Kepler, no one on Earth survived. But your counterpart, along with Shego, did manage to defeat every Lorwardian raid over the past year, with a little help from Earth's ground-based plasma array made up of disruptors captured from the Lorwardians.

"Oh, and one more thing." He took a deep breath. "In this universe, it was Kim and Shego who were hit by that first comet, not Shego and her brothers. In fact, you never had any brothers here at all, Shego."

Shego shrugged. "Well, lucky me. No great loss."

He continued, "Well, maybe. But Kim got the powers of strength and plasma, while you only got the shrinkage and your personal multiplication table."

Shego gave him a shocked look. "What, me with no plasma? No wonder they lost here!"

Ron then bowed his head sadly as he looked down at his ever faithful rodent friend.

"And I'm sorry, Rufus, but since there was no need for a second comet, you were never tapped for your undercover mission by the comet aliens. So you never became our helper and my best bud for all those years. You must have lived and died just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill naked mole rat. So I for one am bon-diggity happy that we met and that you became an indispensable member of Team Possible."

Rufus was taken aback by this surprising news. "_So, no adventures together? And… and no cheese, ever?_"

"Uh, 'fraid not, little buddy. I had a hunch that this might be the case here. That's why I didn't want you to tag along until I was sure."

Rufus let out a little moan, wrapping his tiny arms around Ron's pants leg and hugging him tightly. "_No Ron, no cheese… so sad…_"

"And Shego? In this universe, you never turned to evil. You and Kim both became crime-fighting cousins."

With a raise of her eybrows she replied, "Really? Kind of ironic that it turned out the way it did then, huh?"

"Not to say that you were a goody-two-shoes by any stretch. You were still always kinda snarky, selfish and easily provoked."

She shot him a dirty look. "Gee, thanks."

"Now, Drakken was still pretty much the same, but you eventually hooked up with him, so maybe you found his evil ways somewhat enticing, in a forbidden fruit kind of way?"

This earned him a whoosh of Shego's plasma, singeing his hair as it sailed by his head.

He fearfully mumbled back, "Uh, just a hypothetical sitch, you understand."

He took a deep breath and carefully continued, "And like our own Drakken, he turned over a new leaf after the Lorwardians first showed up. But that accident with his plant mutagen never happened."

Kim surmised, "So with no Rufus, no Team Go and no mutagenic Drakken, as well as our comet powers being split between us, it looks like the cards were stacked against this dimension's Earth from the start. But you'd think that would have balanced out since Shego never turned to evil in this dimension, but they _still_ lost. And our Shego _was_ evil, but we're still alive, and the Earth still has a chance."

Shego muttered, "Yeah, but the operative word is '_was_,' Kimmie. _This _leopard has changed her spots. And who's to say that our own constant sparring over the years honed your combat skills to a fine edge, not to mention mine? Iron sharpens iron no matter what dimension you're in, Princess. And as villains go, I think you've probably fought me and Drakken more than all the other bad guys combined, and most of that time _without_ any super powers to speak of. Just your brains, your cheerleading skills and sixteen forms of Kung Fu."

She continued with a smirk, "Oh, and a little help from Ron, Rufus and Wade once in a while."

This earned her an perturbed look from both Ron and Rufus.

"Okay, so a _lot _of help at times. But where the alternate Kim came within an ace of saving the planet, only to be trumped by Zorpox, you still have a few cards in your hand."

Kim nodded. "Yeah. And we've got the advantage of not only a Mystical Monkey Powered Ron and Rufus on our side, but a mutagenic Drakken and a plasma-energized Shego as well. And no more Zorpox to throw a monkey wrench into the works."

She winced at her metaphor. "Oops. Sorry, Ron. No offense intended."

Ron grinned. "None taken, KP. And by the way, I'd love to throw a monkey wrench into Zorpox's plans myself, if I only knew where to toss it."

"Well, let's work on getting back to our own dimension first." She turned toward the former mad scientist, hunched over the PDVI in intense concentration. "So, how does it look, Dr. Drakken?"

He gave a half-hearted shrug. "Well, I've reversed the polarity and connected the new PDVI in exactly the same way as the old one was. Sadie is currently running some tests, and it seems to be functional, but…"

"But what, Dr. D?" Ron asked, trepidation coloring his voice.

"I just don't know how this will actually get us back to our own dimension. Oh, it will certainly open up a vortex, but to where? Our own PDVI took Kim and Shego back to the very beginning of _this_ universe, then to its very end before arriving where we are at present. Who knows where we'll end up this time? The user's manual didn't include anything about jumping through any dimensional hoops."

Ron's eyes went wide. "Wow, you mean you actually have a user's manual to the PDVI?"

Drakken rolled his eyes. "I'm just being facetious, Ronald."

Shego whispered, "You forgot to mention 'childlike wonder', Kimmie."

Ron continued without missing a beat. "Well, I guess we could try and retrace our steps by using the same wormholes we used to find you in the first place. But we've left so many of those behind, we'd probably end up in another universe even farther away. Too bad we didn't have some kind of a dimensional signpost, like, _Home Thataway_, or _Here There Be Dragons_."

The computer gave a cheerful sounding chirp. "Not a bad idea, Ron. I've actually been working on that problem concurrent with testing the PDVI, and I've discovered that a measurable signpost actually does exist."

Kim looked hopeful. "So spill, Sadie. What's the secret?"

"Basic physics, Kim. Atoms vibrate at a particular frequency at identical temperatures. The theory is that otherwise identical atoms in other dimensions vibrate at their own, albeit different frequency."

"Spankin.' But how would knowing that help us?"

Drakken now chimed in. "I think I see what Sadie's getting at, Kimberly. The PDVI has a frequency control based on the vibrations of a caesium atom, similar to the atomic clocks we use back on Earth. By adjusting it to the correct frequency, the portal that opens up would very likely lead us straight back into our own dimension. The problem is, this PDVI is from our currentdimension, so its caesium atoms vibrate at a different frequency than those of our own."

Shego snickered, "So I guess the million dollar question is, what's the frequency, Drew?"

He gave a shrug. "Well, in this dimension, we don't actually know. I could make an educated guess, but without a way to measure it exactly, chances are we'd end up somewhere else. Or more precisely, some_when_ else."

Kim tapped her chin in thought. "So what you need to know is the frequency difference between caesium in this dimension and our own dimension, right?"

"Caesium-133 to be exact, Kimberly. Unfortunately, we can't even begin to measure vibrations that small with the equipment we have on board."

She broke out in a wide grin. "Maybe, maybe not. One of my comet powers is the ability to sense precise distances between distant objects, like planets and stars. If my power works on a microcosmic as well as a macrocosmic scale, then no big. Literally. But I would need a caesium-133 atom from our dimension in order to compare the frequency difference."

Drakken grinned back, "Not a problem, Kimberly. I can give you a sample from our own burnt-out PDVI. Although its wiring is fried, the caesium should still be intact."

"Spankin! Sadie, what's the frequency of caesium-133 in our universe?"

"9,192,631,770 Hertz, Kim."

"Super. Now all I have to do is shrink back down to microcosmic size, make the comparison and tell you the difference. Be right back."

Five minutes later she was back into her spacesuit, preparing once again to venture into the subatomic world.

In the meantime, Drakken had opened up the working PDVI, indicating a tiny component. "You'll find the caesium you're looking for within this particular electronic component. I've also placed a sample of caesium from our universe on its exterior that you can grab an atom from for comparison. Good luck, Kimberly. And please hurry, we only have about twenty minutes left."

With a quick nod of acknowledgement, Kim quickly began to exude her telltale violet glow, shrinking down ever faster as she approached the exotically infinitesimal world of the atom. Soon she was holding a glowing caesium atom from each universe in each hand. As Ron eavesdropped on her mind, she closed her eyes, attenuating herself to the vibrations of each one. Soon, she began to sense the minute frequency difference between the two.

"_Wow, Kim. This reminds me of that mission to Mongolia Global Justice sent us on once, and the motel we stayed in with that Magic Hands vibrating bed. Boy, that sure felt good on my back after our 14 hour plane flight from Middleton. Too bad I ran out of quarters and couldn't find a change machine within five miles, and no one would accept my Bueno Nacho bonus buck in exchange anyway, so_…"

Kim gave a mental sigh. "_Trying to focus, Ron. Please and thank you_?"

"_Oops. Sorry, KP_…"

A moment later she smiled as she discovered the exact frequency difference. "_All right, Ron, I think I've got it. If the caesium atom from our dimension is vibrating at 9,192,631,770 Hz, then the other one's vibrating at 9,192,631,792 Hz. Real close, but just different enough to notice. I just hope that this will really get us all home_."

"_Roger that, KP. I've just let Drakken know, and he's starting his adjustments_."

A minute later, Kim had resumed her normal size. She took off her helmet as Drakken smiled confidently back at her.

"Well, it's set. And according to Sadie, it's working perfectly. Now all we need to do is decide is exactly which moment in time to return to."

Kim suggested, "Well, how about the week before we left? Then we can prevent those asteroids from being launched in the first place."

"Good idea, but there's one really big question mark. We would already be there, and I don't know what it would do to the space-time continuum should we run into our identical selves. That paradox might tear a rip into our universe and cause a catastrophe greater than even the Earth's destruction. And maybe even destroy _both_ universes."

Ron paled as he stuttered, "Bad thing, Kim. _Very _bad thing!"

But Shego recalled, "Yeah, but we didn't have a problem here in _this_ universe, did we? I had to move my counterpart's body out of the way to get at their comm log access panel, and both Kim and I were in close proximity to our doubles when we were searching for the PDVI."

Ron began to calm down a bit. "Yeah, and Ron's spirit in this universe had no trouble possessing my body just a few minutes ago, either."

Drakken nodded. "True, but we're presently in a different dimension with different atomic frequencies. And we've apparently discovered, if only by accident, that they're just different enough to prevent a galactic disaster. But we can't make the same assumption about our own universe. No, the safest thing to do is reappear right after the moment we all left."

Shego frowned. "Right, and good luck on _that_. On our last jump, Sadie managed to land us two months later than the time she was aiming for. And now you're talking just _moments_?"

Kim grinned, "Shego has a good point, but I have a spankin' idea that just might work."

Shego groused back, "Oh? One that'll work, or one that'll guarantee we all instantly discover if there really _is_ an afterlife?"

Drakken wisely decided not to step into this argument, especially with Shego in super snark mode.

Kim laconically replied, "Actually I know that for sure already, but we won't be putting that to the ultimate test just yet, I promise. Once Ron repaired my mind, I've been able to think a little straighter. And I've made an interesting discovery: my powers of location apply temporally as well as spatially."

Ron looked confused. "Temporarily? You mean they're not permanent?"

"No, silly. Temporally as in _time_. I seem to know innately _when_ I am as well as where."

Shego folded her arms. "And that's important because…"

"Because I can sense the exact difference in time and place between the universe where we _are_, and the one where we _were_. And by using Ron's memory, I think I can get us back to the precise instant that he, Rufus and Drakken left our universe in order to rescue us. All I need is to be in physical contact with the PDVI and mental contact with Ron when Drakken throws the switch."

Shego gave a half-hearted shrug. "Whatever. No warning bells are going off in my mind, so I'm assuming the powers-that-be are in agreement, including our mysterious alien benefactor." She then fixed her cousin with an uncompromising stare. "Just as long as you're sure, Kim. The Earth is counting on you, and I don't know if Ron or I can pull anything out of our bag of tricks this time in case something goes wrong. We lost you once, and I don't think any of us want to lose you again."

Ron swallowed convulsively. "That goes double for me, KP."

But Kim flashed everyone a confident smile. "Hey, I really appreciate everyone's concern, but this time I've got a real good feeling about all this. And I'm ready to save the world, again. How about everyone else?"

She looked at each person in turn, who nodded and returned her smile with one of their own.

"Sadie?"

"All systems nominal, Kim."

"Then let's do this."

Ron activated his Mystical Monkey Power and began to glow in a soft shade of blue, as his mind began to merge with Kim's.

"_Okay, Ron. Just think of the moment you popped into that first wormhole in search of us_."

"_No problemo, KP. And Kim? No matter what happens, just remember that I'll always love you, and that I'll always have your back. No matter what universe we're in._"

She gave him a tender mental kiss. "_Right back at you, Monkey Boy_."

Out loud she directed, "All right, Drakken. Throw the switch."

Rufus crossed the fingers of each tiny paw for luck as the blue-skinned scientist flipped the fateful switch. A moment later, the Kepler disappeared in a brightly coruscating flash of color.

As the portal quickly closed in on itself, two spirits also looked on in hope.

"Good luck, Ron mah man. Glad to know you'll keep fighting the bon-diggity good fight in your own universe now."

"Yes, alternate-Ron-san. _Gokouun o inorimasu_ to both you and Kim-chan, and to your Earth."

_And please remember our plight, and help us if you can… _

_**TBC in one week…**_


	29. The Return Home

_A big booyah this week for those who have nominated Between The Stars for several Fannies this year: Best Kim/Ron story, Best Action/Adventure story, Best Novel-Sized story, and Best Series story. And (gasp) Best Writer? (I had to double-check that I wasn't just in one of my own AU's when I read that...) It's always an honor to be nominated, so my thanks who have given me their thumbs up so far, and thanks to levi2000a1 for tipping me off. Voting closes May 11, so as they say, remember to vote early and often! :) And best of luck to all who have been nominated.  
_

___And another booyah, _I'm continuing to stay about a week ahead in writing a new chapter while polishing the most recent, and I'm now hopeful that I'll have the entire story wrapped up by the end of May. But before we continue to the final return to our own dimension, my thanks to last chappie's reviewers: Eddy13, CajunBear73, Rick 455, Sentinel103, Bookworm Gal, Jimmy1201, pbow, levi2000a1, Beckman, Tito-Mosquito, Linzerj and whitem.  


_Now it's time for our heroes to return home. But what will they find? Read on..._

* * *

As the Kepler IV popped back into normal space, everyone held their breath, fearing the uncomfortable transition. But they were all pleasantly surprised when the effects weren't nearly as debilitating as expected.

Kim exhaled in relief. "Hey, that wasn't quite as bad this time. And none of us passed out."

Sadie remarked, "That's probably because our arrival point in both time and space is nearly identical to the one we just left, even though the dimensions are different."

Shego carefully rubbed her stomach. "Yeah, I'm not tasting last night's dinner again either, so I'm good. But are we finally back in our own universe?"

Kim breathlessly asked, "Sadie, can you give us some good news, please and thank you?"

Sadie replied with a pleasant chirp. "We should know in just a moment, Kim. It looks like we have an incoming message."

Their question was quickly answered as James Possible appeared on the viewscreen.

"Kim, Shego? Is that you?"

Pumping his arms in the air, Ron exclaimed, "Booyah!" while Rufus did several ecstatic backflips.

Kim quickly replied, "Yes, Dad, it's us! We've all made it back in one piece, and that includes Ron, Rufus and Drakken."

Kim could barely hear her father over the spontaneous cheering that had just broken out in Warmonga's shuttle.

"Thank God! That's wonderful news, Kimmie-cub! I can't tell you just how relieved I am. So welcome home to you all. And my deepest thanks to Ron, Rufus and Drew for rescuing you and returning you safe and sound. However, I, uh, do have one question."

His look of relief had changed to one of puzzlement. "Not that I'm complaining, but Ron and Drew have only been gone for a few seconds, so that was prrrrrety darn quick. How in the world did you manage that?"

"Actually, it's hard to tell exactly how long we've all been gone, Dad. And what seems like a few seconds to you seemed like an eternity to us. It's a long story involving jumps through time as well as through a whole different spankin' universe."

His puzzled look morphed into one of excitement. "Time jumps and a parallel universe? That's amazing, Kim! And once all this is confirmed, I'm sure that it will revolutionize both quantum and cosmological physics. I can't wait to tell Bob Chen about this!"

Kim hastily replied, "That's great, Dad, and I'm sure you'll have tons to discuss with your friends later, but right now we've got a world to save. So what's the sitch with those asteroids?"

"Well, Deimos has been blown into several thousand pieces by the two missiles that were launched at it."

He beamed with pride. "Which were my design, naturally. But a thousand fragments large enough to devastate the planet still remain. So we're preparing to launch a few more specially modified ICBM's which will intercept the swarm just beyond the Earth's atmosphere. We're hoping to destroy the remaining asteroids large enough to impact Earth's surface, but I'm afraid that our current simulations predict there will still be a few hundred left to cause an extinction event, should even one hit."

"Just how soon will that be, Dad?"

"The asteroid swarm will impact the Earth in exactly 48 hours. We hope to intercept the edge of the swarm with our ICBM's one hour before that. But the next asteroid, Phobos, is only 3 hours behind."

"Wow. That's not much time, huh?"

"No, but the good news is that the space shuttle Endeavour is being readied for launch, and Justine Flanner will be on board along with an improved model of her Kinematic Continuum Disruptor, which she has assured us will be up to the task of taking out Phobos. The bad news is that the shuttle won't be ready to launch for another 50 hours, which is barely enough time to intercept it."

Ron grimaced. "Mr. Dr. P, this isn't another one of those math problems that starts out, 'An asteroid leaves the orbit of Mars and heads toward the Earth at 200,000 mph. You leave in a spaceship traveling from Middleton at 100,000 mph. _How soon before my body gets splattered all over it?!_' "

James began to lecture, "Well, Ronald, that's actually quite simple to figure out just as long as you know what the distance between Earth and Mars was to start out with, and exactly when you…"

Kim fixed he father with a long suffering look.

Now understanding Ron's actual concern, he continued apologetically, "Oh, sorry Ronald. I didn't realize you were particularly worried about, uh, impact vectors."

Kim added, "Anyway, Dad, that's spankin' news about the space shuttle, but how are we going to take care of the rest of that first asteroid field?"

"I'm afraid that it will be up to us to stop somehow, Kim."

Sadie interjected, "Which is problematic, as the Kepler is nearly out of fuel, Kim. We have just enough to make it back to Earth."

Kim groaned, "Great. And just how long will that take?"

"If we leave a safe fuel reserve, 55 hours."

She huffed, "Not good enough. What about at maximum speed, leaving no reserves?"

"45 hours. But that would leave no room for error, Kim."

"Well, what if we placed everything under your control, including thrust and navigation?"

"That would reduce any chance of error to less than .001 percent, but the 45 hour ETA is firm. Any faster, and we won't have enough fuel left to decelerate sufficiently and make a safe reentry."

Kim then queried the Empress, "Warmonga, what about your shuttle? Could you make it to Earth any faster?"

The Lorwardian answered with a negative shake of her head, "Not possible. Warmonga's ship is more massive than your Kepler. At sub-light velocities, it would take my ship longer both to build up speed, then decelerate enough to achieve orbit."

"Well, then, 45 hours it is. Dad, how long will it take to refuel and launch the Kepler?"

James answered, "Assuming all goes well, you'd have just enough time left to intercept the first asteroid swarm. But with only a three hour window, that's cutting it very, very close."

"I know. And then there are the other three asteroids to worry about. But our best chance to destroy them is by finding a way to combine the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer and our onboard Kinematic Continuum Disruptor into an anti-asteroid weapon."

James' eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "What? The Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer? How in the world did you come up with that idea?"

"Actually, _you_ did, Dad."

He gave here a confused look. "Uh, forgive me for asking, but when did I do that exactly?"

"Another time, another place, another universe."

Shego warned, "Well, the clock is ticking, so whatever we do, we better get moving real quick. Decision time, and no room for error. So what's your plan, Cupcake?"

Kim quickly began considering all of her options, balancing the need to slow down the remaining asteroids with the need to prevent the first asteroid swarm from pulverizing the Earth. She wanted to buy as much time as possible for her dad and Dr. Drakken to develop an anti-asteroid weapon, but even _she_ couldn't be in two places at once. And with so much on the line, she really didn't feel like testing the distance limitations of her replication abilities. A few miles were one thing, but a few million was something altogether different.

As the ideal solution crystallized in her mind, she grinned inwardly at the irony.

"Shego, I'll never forget the time that Dr. Director thought that the key to my success was what she called the Ron Factor. I dismissed that idea pretty quick and said, 'Seriously. You need Ron?' Well, now I _know_ I need Ron, and so does the Earth."

Kim thought intently for another moment as she considered every last detail, finally making her decision.

"And I trust him enough now to put the world's fate in his hands, at least to begin with. So here's what we're going to do…"

Ten minutes later, the Kepler was heading back to Earth at top speed under Sadie's control. James Possible had joined Dr. Drakken, Ron and Rufus aboard, while Kim and Shego had transferred over to the Imperial shuttle.

Shego did not look happy. "I sure hope you know what you're doing, Kim. You know I'm a better pilot than your Dad by a long shot."

"That's true, Shego, but I've got a feeling we're going to need as much plasma power as possible to slow down those other asteroids. There are other pilots, but you and I are the only ones with powers like ours."

She continued with a trace of a smile, "Oh, and that's a compliment by the way, if you hadn't noticed?"

But Shego merely dismissed Kim's props with a sneer. "Yeah, I noticed. I just hope you're right."

Back on the Kepler, James stared at the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer and muttered, "I sure hope we can make this work. I just wish we hadn't had to leave everyone else back on Warmonga's shuttle."

Ron shrugged, "Yeah, Mr. Dr. P, but like Kim explained, it would have taken too much time to shuttle everyone over. And with the Kepler's fuel already critically low, all that extra weight would have meant an even longer trip. Add one humongously asteroidical deadline staring us right in the face, and we just didn't have the time."

"But I still think having Steve along as a co-pilot would have made more sense."

"Totally agrre-o-mento, on that point. But with his out-of-control beard growth and the power drain on the engines if he were to shave, he wisely chose to stay behind. Besides, if he didn't shave, all that hair would have gotten in the way of the controls."

James huffed, "Yes, Ronald, I understand the, uh, _sitch_ as Kim puts it. But it just irks the beans right out of me when Kim's always right."

He continued to lament, "Which means that my little Kimmie-cub has finally grown up, and doesn't need her old man anymore."

Ron's eyes went wide with surprise. "Chill out, dude! Each of us has a muy importantay task to complete. She needs every last one of us to do a specific job, especially you and Dr. D."

Ron thought for another moment before coming to an even deeper realization.

"And don't forget that you and Mrs. Dr. P raised her, and raised her well. She wouldn't be the person she is today without you."

James slowly began to understand what Ron was getting at. "Yes, Ronald, you're absolutely right. And thank you for reminding me of that."

He then began to reflect on the past, and on the decisions that they had all ultimately made. "Ronald, I know I haven't always been in favor of your relationship with my Kimmie-cub. But in the final analysis, when she chose you for her husband, she made a good choice. And the entire planet may now end up being in her debt, as well as yours."

Ron softly replied, "And yours too, Mr. Dr. P."

James acknowledged that statement with a gentle nod. "Thanks Ronald. Well, at least my dimensional counterpart came up with the idea on how to combine the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer with the Kinematic Continuum Disruptor, so we know it can be done."

With a cheerful grin, he glanced over at the former mad scientist.

"Well then, Drew. Shall we get to work?"

Drakken grinned back in pleasure, not unlike a little kid with a new toy. "Ah, just like old times, eh, James?"

"Yes, it does remind me a bit of our college years. But please, don't try to build any female robots out of it in the meantime, hmm?"

* * *

Exactly 45 hours later, the Kepler IV made a pinpoint landing at the Middleton Interstellar Spaceport.

"Thanks, Sadie. Looks like we made it back with fuel to spare."

"Yes, Ron. But only about five minutes worth."

Rufus gave a little whimper and nearly passed out at the news.

Technicians began swarming over the ship, quickly refueling the craft and checking it over for any damage. As Ron swung the hatch open, General Sims was on hand to greet them all with a smart salute.

"Welcome home, gentlemen. And congratulations on a job well done so far, but we're not out of the woods yet. Here's our current situation. Fortunately, the Deimos asteroid swarm was significantly slowed down by our first attack, and we're ready now to hit it with ten specially modified ICBM's with MIRV warheads. But that means that Phobos will now be arriving at nearly the same time as the first asteroid swarm. So while Dr. Flanner aboard the Endeavour takes care of Phobos, we'll need you take care of whatever space rocks remain after our attack."

James frowned. "General Sims, that's going to be problematic. On our way back to Earth we discovered that we can't attach the PDVI to the continuum disruptor and run tests at the same time Ron's using it against that asteroid swarm. And that's going to put us critically behind."

The General grinned back, "Well then, I have some good news for you there as well. We'll unload the continuum disruptor and replace it with a new weapon: the brand new Neutroniliser Mark 2."

Ron's eyes began to glaze over in pleasure. "You mean that super weapon that Dr. Drakken stole from the Army a few years ago?"

"One in the same, Mr. Stoppable. We've found a way to focus the Kepler's Lorwardian-style plasma weapons through it, giving it a ten-fold increase in its power. Not enough to completely vaporize a dwarf planet-sized asteroid, but more than enough to take out a rock as big as Manhattan."

"Coolio! That's great news, General. I'll take off as soon as refueling is complete. And hopefully that will buy enough time for Mr. Dr. P and Dr. D to complete their conversion work."

James was still looking rather haggard after working nearly non-stop on his computational marathon. He cautiously added, "That is, if we still have enough time. Drew and I have worked out the basic computations, but it'll take some careful work to connect all the hardware together. But it's looking hopeful."

Ron suddenly realized that a big problem now faced them. "Uh, General? If Mr. Dr. P is going to stay on Earth to work on the PDVI, he won't be able to be my co-pilot like we had planned. Sadie can fly the ship from point A to point B no problemo, but with all the course corrections I'll need to make while chasing after those space rocks, I can't fly the Kepler and operate the weapons at the same time."

Rufus eagerly volunteered, raising a tiny paw and jumping excitedly up and down.

"Sorry, Rufus. But these flight controls are designed to be operated by a human, and there are some simultaneous functions that you just can't physically do. Nothing personal, little buddy."

Rufus gave out a tiny moan of disappointment.

"But I still want you along, pal. I don't know, maybe I can fly the Kepler myself and turn over weapons targeting to you, since you've always been an expert in that. It's just that I'm not the best pilot around, but it doesn't look like we have much choice."

The naked mole rat reluctantly agreed. But before they could continue, a lilting voice spoke from behind them.

"Perhaps I can help, Stoppable-san. It would be my honor to function as your co-pilot."

The beautiful headmistress of Yamanouchi smiled as she walked up to Ron, giving him a warm hug.

"Yori! Wow, if you're not a sight for sore eyes! But I had no idea you could fly the Kepler?"

Giving him a sly grin, she replied, "Once we returned from Lorwardia last year, I decided it would be prudent to add space pilot to my list of abilities, just in case. This now turns out to be very wise choice. Dr. Possible was kind enough to install a Kepler simulator for me at Yamanouchi, and I am now fully rated as a star pilot."

James smiled at the two. "And when I realized that this might be a problem, I radioed ahead so that Yori could be waiting for us here, just in case."

"Nice foresight, Mr. Dr. P. So with me and Rufus on weapons, we'll be able to totally concentrate on taking out those asteroids, with nothing to distract us. And I don't need to remind you of the problems I've had in the past with concentration, Yori."

The young ninja laughed lightly. "Do not belittle yourself, Ron-san. Your concentration has improved tremendously since first studying at Yamanouchi under Sensei's tutelage."

Ron nodded in agreement. "Yes, it has. And under yours as well, I might add. And those abilities just helped me rescue Kim and Shego from a parallel universe. Speaking of which, we lost touch with Sensei after going through one too many wormholes. So where's the Master now?"

"He has now returned to his place beyond the astral plane. He said to wish you good luck, and that he has absolute confidence that you will all rise to the current challenges facing you."

Ron began to blush as he mumbled back, "Yeah, well, that's real nice of him to say. But it's been one honkin' challenge just to make it this far. You don't know what I just went through to rescue Kim from what turned out to be an alternate dimension, and that was only the beginning."

With a look of concern, Yori gently touched his face and looked deep into his eyes. "Please show me, Ron-san."

"Okay, but Kim went a little crazy after being injured by a sabotaged engine, which also stranded us in that parallel universe. I even met our own counterparts, which was coolio for me, but kind of gloomy for them. And then there was Kim, who, well…"

A tear formed in one eye as he recalled Kim's demise, followed by her miraculous rebirth.

"So I'm giving you fair warning: this may be a little difficult for you to take."

Yori took a deep breath. "I am ready, Ron-san."

As they both closed their eyes, Ron began to project his mind into hers so that she could read each and every memory of his recent trials and tribulations. Her eyes opened wide in shock at how Kim's damaged mind had twisted the usually calm and demure ninja into such a surreal creature of torrid evil.

Yori began to swoon, but Ron was right there to catch her. She looked as if she were about to break out in tears.

She gasped, "Ron-san, I am truly amazed at Kim-chan's incredible restoration to life, but I am greatly troubled by her psychosis. I trust she realizes that I would never act so dishonorably. Even more, I would never dishonor either you or Kim-chan in such a way, especially considering the deep friendship I share with you both. I am deeply thankful that it was only an aberration of her mind brought about by the one called WarRaptor, and her memory of Zorpox."

She immediately began to reflect on the fate of the alternate Earth, along with their counterparts in that dimension.

Her strength now returning a bit, she fixed Ron with a haunting stare. "But even more disturbing is this alternate dimension you visited. I… died trying to return your spirit to your body, inhabited now by Zorpox. And to choose to stay with your counterpart's spirit on the astral plane, indefinitely, instead of continuing into the next plane of existence…"

She observed the distant horizon, a far off look in her eyes. "She must have loved your counterpart very deeply to have made such a sacrifice."

Her warm smile returned as she gazed again into Ron's eyes. "But let us not dwell on the bittersweetness of such a distant reality. Let us instead insure that such a thing never happens here."

Ron took her hand, and nodded silently.

"And I now perceive that my original vision was indeed from this other dimension, not from ours."

Ron brightened up immediately. "Whoa! Then the good guys win and live happily ever after?"

Yori's infectious laugh soon had both Ron and Rufus chuckling as well. "Yes, Ron-san. I do believe so. I only wish that all of our counterparts could have been as fortunate. So let us accomplish our mission both in deep honor to them and in thankfulness for our own continued existence."

General Sims approached them. "Folks, our second wave of missiles are about to hit. Cross your fingers…"

High above them, the missiles struck the leading edge of the asteroid swarm. Scores of tiny lights flashed brightly in the sky, clearly visible even though it was daylight. Their awestruck wonder was broken by the ringing of the General's cell phone. He quickly answered, grunting a few times before muttering a brief thanks as he turned to the three young heroes.

"That was Radar Control. The missiles have succeeded in taking out a lot more of those space rocks, but unfortunately there are still a few hundred left large enough to snuff out all life on Earth should they hit. You are now our last line of defense, Mr. Stoppable. Are you up to the challenge?"

Ron gave the General a smart salute. "That's what I'm here for, sir. I won't let you down, I promise."

"Very well. You'll be ready for launch in ten minutes, so please prepare to board. Good luck."

Ron introduced both Rufus and Yori to the general. "General Sims, I believe you've met both Rufus and one of my closest friends, Yori. She'll be acting as my co-pilot on our mission."

He broke out in a wide smile. "Yes, yes I have. Well then, good luck to you all. The thoughts and prayers of the entire planet are with you." And with a tip of his hat, he turned and walked back down the gangway.

As they boarded the Kepler, Ron mumbled, "Yori, I probably should let Kim know what our plans are, and how you'll, uh, be helping."

Yori graced him a benign smile. "Your American-style bashfulness and humility is always refreshing, Ron-san. I am positive Kim-chan will more than welcome my help, now that her mind has been healed by your unique powers."

"Yeah, let's hope so. I never want to face a jellin' Kim like that ever again, pretty please with five-alarm Bueno Nacho hot sauce on top…"

Right on schedule, the Kepler roared off the launch pad, tongues of flame and exhaust quickly propelling them first into orbit, then deep space.

As the first asteroid swarm swiftly closed in on the Earth, Ron and Yori piloted the Kepler to a point directly in front of them, interposing the craft between the dangerous space rocks and their threatened planet.

"All right, Sadie. Let's deploy the Neutroniliser and blast those asteroids clear into the next solar system."

Sadie's relays began clicking as she tried to access the top-secret army weapon.

"Sorry, Ron. I can deploy it, but I'm not reading any of its controls."

While Ron scratched his head in confusion, Yori's fingers danced across her own control panel. "Ron-san, it appears that the Neutronaliser is connected both to the Kepler's power source and its plasma weapons, but we have no targeting interface."

Ron groaned, "Oh, man! I guess General Sims only had time to load the weapon and connect it, but didn't have time to tell us how to aim and fire it."

Suddenly he brightened up. "Hey, wait a minute! I just got a bon-diggity idea…"

He accessed the computer's internet connection and typed in the words, _Classic Asteroids Arcade_ _Game_.

He smiled as the website popped up, and he immediately downloaded the game into the computer.

"Okay, Sadie. Ya think you can use this?"

Sadie sounded a chirp of pleasure. "That will do nicely, Ron. Just give me a few seconds… and…"

The ancient computer game popped onto the screen, accompanied by the antiquated computer music from the original game of more than 30 years before.

With a ferocious grin he declared, "All right asteroids, _you're goin' down!"_

Yori pushed a button, and the weapons bay began to open, and the Neutronaliser slowly began to emerge.

A few moments later she announced, "The weapon is deployed and locked in place, Ron-san. Full power is available… now. It will be your honor to fire when ready."

The computer game began with the sound of its classic slow, deep _chunk-a-chunk-a_ as the closest asteroids entered the top of the screen.

As Ron pressed the firing button, the Neutronaliser fired off a tremendous bolt of energy. Unfortunately, the reaction to that shot quickly spun the Kepler around on its axis, completely throwing off his aim and making him dizzy as well.

Ron yelped, "Whoa-ho-_ho! _Curse Newton's Third Law of Motion! Yori, helllllllp!"

Yori merely offered a gentle laugh in response. "Ah, Stoppable-san. Your American-style buffoonery never fails to brighten my day and bring smile to my humble lips."

She immediately hit the maneuvering rockets, stabilizing the Kepler.

He looked over at her with a sense of relief. "Thanks, Yori. Any more of that spinning and I would have gotten space sick. And this is no time for me to be crummy in the tummy!"

She smiled coyly back, "It will be my honor to counterbalance the ship after each of your shots, Ron-san. It is now I who have _your_ back."

Ron began firing again. Starting with the largest asteroid, he blasted each one into progressively smaller pieces. And with each blast, Yori anticipated each action with just enough reaction from the maneuvering thrusters to keep the Kepler steady and on target.

As more asteroids appeared, the tempo of the _chunk-a-chunk-a_ sound steadily increased. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead as his concentration intensified. He began to glow a faint blue as he accessed his Mystical Monkey Power, relaxing into an ever increasing firing tempo. One by one, Ron worked his way down until the largest piece of rubble was no larger than an oversized SUV, and would therefore completely burn up in the atmosphere before hitting the ground. As the last of the asteroids were destroyed, the game cheerfully beeped back at him, and he gratefully viewed the final triumphant words as they flashed across the screen.

_Game Over._

"Hey, I even got extra bonus points for time! Not only that, but I've got the top score of anyone who's ever played this! Ah booyah!"

He proudly entered his initials in space provided, permanently guaranteeing his unique place in Asteroids history.

Yori smiled warmly at her old friend. "Congratulations, Ron-san! The Earth is saved, at least for the moment."

"But only until that next asteroid arrives. Hopefully Justine will be just as successful as we were."

* * *

Meanwhile, above the beautiful blue orb that was the Earth, a scientist on the International Space Station was peering out of one of the viewports. As he observed the gossamer clouds enveloping the planet, a spacecraft appeared on the horizon. Its rocket engines on maximum thrust, it swiftly came into view. Anyone familiar with space travel over the past quarter century would have recognized the craft immediately. They would have also known that this type had recently been decommissioned, but due to the planetary emergency, the last flight-capable ship had been hurriedly pressed into service in preparation for its world-saving mission.

The scientist aimed a telescope at the spacecraft and smiled as the name emblazoned on its nose came into focus. Giving the ISS a wide berth, the Space Shuttle Endeavour continued to climb ever higher. Finally reaching its pre-programmed altitude, the engines automatically shut down, leaving the craft to gently glide above the planet far below.

But rapidly approaching them was the ugly, misshapen Martian moon of Phobos. With a radius of nearly seven miles, its surface area was nearly the same as the total land area of the state of Delaware. If it hit the planet, it would leave a crater fully 100 miles wide, and doom all life on Earth. But not if Justine Flanner had anything to say about it.

The commander smiled. "Dr. Flanner, we've achieved the highest orbit obtainable, and without a moment to spare. It's your show now."

MIST's star physicist sat nervously at her controls, frantically making last minute adjustments.

She mumbled to herself, "I should have learned my lesson when I worked with Kim Possible on that science project back at Middleton High. If someone capable offers her help, accept it! And graciously! Now I have just have five minutes left before Phobos comes screaming in, and I still don't have the Kinematic Continuum Disruptor's aperture set large enough to swallow that monster completely."

The shuttle commander floated over to her and asked, "Anything I can do to help, Dr. Flanner?"

Justine snarled back, "Not unless you have a type 42 aperture ring."

"Um, no, I can't say that I do."

She griped, "Well, that's because it doesn't exist yet! It was due to be completed and installed this month, and would have increased the disruptor's circumference to exactly twenty kilometers. But events have kind of overtaken all of us."

"Yes, they have. I'm just sorry we couldn't have launched any earlier."

She took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she forced herself to calm down.

"No, I'm the one that's sorry. I shouldn't snap at you, you and your terrific crew got this crate ready to go and into orbit in record time. The Earth's in your debt."

He offered a small shrug. "Thanks for saying so, Dr. Flanner, but we're just doing our job, just like you are."

"Yeah, but if I don't increase the aperture enough on this thing, I'm going to have a hard time sucking that asteroid completely into my little toy. And Earth will end up paying for it."

With one last tweak, she declared, "All right, the aperture is now set at its maximum of eleven kilometers. Now deploying the KCD."

The cargo doors opened up to reveal the massive weapon, which slowly emerged from deep within the instrument bay. With a large clunk, it locked itself into place. Justine began carefully adjusting its angle.

"Azimuth set, altitude vector set." She pushed series of buttons. "Tracking now on automatic. The KCD is now locked in on target. All circuits nominal, energy at maximum. Firing in T minus sixty seconds… mark!"

She turned to the rest of the crew with a smile of relief. "All right everyone, here we go. Cross your fingers, or whatever you astronauts do for luck."

The final seconds ticked away until just the right moment. Justine pushed the firing button, and a huge circle of roiling green light began to form and expand, directly in the path of the rapidly approaching moon. But she quickly began to frown as the huge moon drew closer.

"Uh, we may have a little problem. It looks like Phobos is spinning, but not on its axis. The Lorwardian gravity weapon may have thrown the entire moon off kilter when it was launched it as us."

The commander shot her a concerned look. "So what does that mean exactly?"

"It means that Phobos isn't perfectly round. It's shaped more like, well, a big avocado, and has a mean diameter of about 11 kilometers. The problem is that the KCD is set for just over 11 kilometers, but between its odd shape and irregular spin, Phobos now won't neatly fit entirely within the disruptor's field. There may be just, er, a bit of overlap."

The commander frowned. "Are you trying to tell me that your weapon may not suck the whole moon into it?"

The pert young physicist offered him a weak smile. "Uh, yeah. That about sums it up."

At that moment, Phobos impacted the blazing circle of light. It wavered for a moment as everyone willed it to disappear completely into the shimmering aperture. But everyone gasped in horror as they watched the gigantic moon begin to fracture, then break apart completely. Huge chunks of rubble had escaped the disruptor's field of fire, and even worse, were now heading right for them.

The commander barked out a command. "Emergency thrusters! Get us out of here, Lieutenant!"

Everyone grunted in pain as the sudden acceleration pushed everyone back into their seats. The moon's fragments rapidly closed in on the Endeavour, then began zipping by it at incredible speeds. Their worst fears came to pass as one rock smashed directly into the disruptor's huge dish, ripping it completely off its moorings with a terrific crash.

Justine screamed as she was slammed into the side of her seat. Emergency klaxons began to sound and the commander issued several rapid-fire orders.

"Close the cargo bay doors! Stand by for course correction! Come to heading 351 Mark 4!"

As the asteroids continued to zoom by, the Lieutenant yelled out, "Good news, Commander. It looks like the fragments are headed away from Earth! You've done it, Dr. Flanner!"

She yelled back, "Yeah, but _we're_ not looking too good, are we?"

No sooner had she spoke than another huge rock slammed into the engines, sending the Endeavour spinning completely out of control.

The Lieutenant began firing the stabilizer thrusters in a desperate attempt to stabilize the wildly gyrating craft, but after a minute of struggling with the controls, he grimly announced, "It's no use, Commander. We're spinning too fast."

He tried firing the main engines in a last-ditch effort, but to no avail. "Captain, the primaries are off-line as well! And we're heading right back into the atmosphere!"

The commander lamented, "I think you may have just written our epitaph, Lieutenant. Contact with the atmosphere in three, two, one…"

The space shuttle hit the upper atmosphere and immediately began to heat up as flames of superheated gas began rushing by the windows. The glow quickly increased to a bright cherry-red as centripetal force pinned them all to their seats.

Now pale with fright, Justine whimpered, "Just how long can we last?"

The commander sadly addressed the brilliant young scientist, determined to remain calm even in their last few seconds of existence.

"In all likelihood, less than a minute. Once the atmosphere burns through the outer skin, we'll all be instantly incinerated."

He took what he thought might be his last breath, "Dr. Flanner, it's been an honor serving with you. But we can at least take comfort in the fact that we've bought the Earth precious time, with which I can only hope that Kim Possible will be able to deal with the remaining asteroids."

Justine continued staring out of the porthole, now resigned to her fate. Strangely, the cherry-red glow slowly began changing color, morphing first into a deep purple hue, changing finally into a brilliant blue. At the same time, the terrific gravitational forces began to lessen. In another few moments, they began to experience the curious senastion of weightlessness.

Hope cautiously returning, Justine voiced the number one question now in everyone's mind. "Wha… what just happened?"

The radio crackled into life. "Hey, anybody call for a Mystical Monkey Master?"

"Ron!" Justine cheerfully blurted out.

He confidently replied, "The one and only. I saw those wrongsick meteors just about completely take you guys out, so I figured you needed some help muy pronto. Lucky I was in the neighborhood."

With a deep sense of relief in his voice, the commander responded, "That's… a bit of an understatement, Mr. Stoppable. We were within seconds of being totally vaporized."

"More than happy to help, Commander." Ron shuddered as he recalled the similar circumstances that had caused the demise of the alternate dimension's Kepler, along with their Kim and Shego. "And more than you could possibly know. But what's your status right now?"

The commander replied, "Well, our engines are out, but our hull integrity still seems to be intact, so we're out of immediate danger. But I don't see how we're ever going to get the Endeavour back on the ground with the damage we've already sustained, so I'm afraid she'll need to be abandoned. In the meantime, what we could really is a little push over to the International Space Station. We can dock there and use it as a life buoy until another ship can take us all back to Earth."

"Sounds like a good plan, and we'd be happy to assist. But we're in a bit of a hurry. That new asteroid swarm is headed right toward the Moon, and we've got to stop them before it hits. How far away is the space station?"

As if an answer to prayer, the ISS chose that moment to appear on Earth's horizon.

"Well, speak of the devil."

Within five minutes, the Endeavour was safely docked. As its thankful crew debarked, the commander sent his final message. "Thanks again, Mr. Stoppable. You definitely saved our bacon. Best of luck in stopping those other asteroids. This is the Endeavour, signing off."

The radio immediately crackled back into life, and General Sims cheerful voice began to speak.

"Good job, Stoppable. Our radar signals show that you've cut the first swarm of those blasted things down to size, and you've earned Earth a brief reprieve."

"Thanks, General. Oh, by the way, you forgot to install the targeting interface for the Neutronaliser, but we still found a way to aim it."

"Oops. Sorry about that, Ron. I'll definitely speak to my people about that. But in the meantime, the second swarm is heading directly for the Moon. We've declared a code Luna One Omega situation here, so get that Neutronaliser up there as soon as possible. If enough of those huge space rocks hit it, we can kiss our nearest satellite goodbye."

Yori paled, recalling her vision of a fractured and fatally devastated Moon. Her voice trembled, "And without the Moon, its gravitational affects on our tides will cease."

The General added, "Yes, but the Sun's gravity will still be affecting us, even if the Moon's isn't. And that would cause massive tidal changes and flood the planet's coastal areas just as severely as an asteroid strike."

Ron's eyes narrowed as he set the Kepler on its new course. "All righty-right then. Hold on to your seats everybody: Moon, here we come!"

* * *

An hour later, the Earth was treated to a spectacular light show as the remains of Deimos finally entered the atmosphere. Tens of thousands of tiny meteor fragments lit up the skies, brightly coruscating in all the colors of the rainbow, as the planet's inhabitants looked up at the incredible display in awed wonder. They breathed a collective sigh of relief that Ron Stoppable, Mystical Monkey Master, had stopped the largest asteroids cold in their tracks. But although most of the meteors were now small enough to completely burn up in the atmosphere, a dozen or so of the larger ones would survive long enough to impact the surface. Fortunately, most of these landed harmlessly into the ocean or in remote, uninhabited locations, miraculously causing little physical damage other than a few large craters. All except for one.

A single meteor streaked out of the sky, heading directly for the city of Middleton. With almost single-minded determination, the object seemed to will itself to survive until it reached its target, in a desperate attempt to fulfill its cosmic destiny. The Tweebs instantly spotted the incoming invader.

"Hey, Tim! I've picked one up on our sub-orbital videocam!"

Jim rushed over to his twin brother and exclaimed, "Omigosh! And it looks like it's heading right for us!"

"Yeah, but where's it gonna hit exactly?"

A call was heard from the kitchen downstairs. "Jim? Tim? Waffles are ready!"

Jim called back, "Okay, Mom! Just a minute…"

He quickly made some calculations on his laptop. "Let's see… computing its vector based on velocity, taking into consideration atmospheric temperature and density, and adjusting for its irregular shape…"

Starting to lose her patience, Ann Possible again yelled up to them. "Right now, you two!"

Tim pleaded, "Just hold on, we're kinda in the middle of something!"

Jim's eyes widened in anticipation. "I've got the impact site narrowed down to a five-mile radius…"

Ann's voice now stridently warned, "If I have to come up there, you'll both be grounded for a week!"

Tim lied, "We're on our way!"

Jim intoned, "Now down to a one-mile radius. Impact in sixty seconds…"

Heavy footsteps were now heard relentlessly making their way up the stairs.

"Got it! Now transposing its vector over the city grid, and…"

Jim and Tim exchanged surprised looks as they burst out laughing. Jim clutched his stomach as he

continued his countdown. "Thirty seconds…"

At that moment, Anne angrily stuck her head through the bedroom door. "All right, you two! What's so important that you're letting your food get cold when I've already called you three times now?"

Tim gushed, "Quick, Mom! You'll be able to see this right out of our window!"

She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "See what?"

Jim pulled open the curtain just as a streak of light burst out of the sky, the large asteroid fragment hitting the ground with a terrific thump only three miles away.

Anne's eyebrows shot up in surprised relief. "Well, I'm certainly glad we weren't anywhere near _that_."

Jim enthused, "Yeah! And we know exactly where it hit. But this time we're _totally_ in the clear! Hicka-bicka-boo?"

Tim instantly chimed back, "Hoo-sha!"

As the twins piled down the stairs to eagerly consume their breakfast, Anne merely sighed to herself, "Ah, well. Boys will be boys, I suppose…"

_Meanwhile, three miles away_…

Officer Hobble drove up just as the Middleton Fire Department was putting out the last of the flames.

"Saints be praised! It was a miracle no one was at home at the time."

The fireman replied, "Funny thing, too. The house was completely demolished by the meteor impact, but that car in the driveway was totally untouched."

"Yeah, small consolation, though. It's just ironic that the owner of this house is actually part of Kim Possible's mission to try and save the planet, even as we speak."

As they all drove off, the charred remains of the home's address placard fell to the ground with a loud clang.

_Steven Barkin_

_436 Ivy Street _

**_TBC in one week..._**


	30. By The Light Of The Silvery Moon

_Greetings, gentlereaders, and welcome to the next installment as the countdown continues. I'm sure you're all breathing a collective sigh of relief now that Kim and Company are all back in their own universe at last, and in their right mind, more or less(!). With two asteroids down and three to go, Team Possible will now grapple with how to give Mr. Dr. P and Dr. D enough time to turn the PDVI into an asteroid vaporizer. But tempers are getting a little short between Warmonga and Bonnie, who would like nothing better than to get their own bodies back, while Ron makes an amazing discovery on the Moon._

_But first a big Booyah to this week's reviewers, who have now made this my most reviewed story ever:_

_Eddy13, CajunBear73, rick455, Sentinel103, Bookworm Gal, Jimmy1201, Beckman, pbow, Oreochema and levi2000a1. And to Tito-Mosquito and Linzerj for previous chapter reviews, and a double-booyah to whitem and BiblioMatsuri for their extraordinary effort in getting completely caught up to the present chapter. _

_And a special thanks to Oreochema, who I can't respond to through normal channels as she can only respond as a guest at present. Yes, I decided to let Barkin's house take the fall this time, but spare his poor car, LOL… _

_And lastly, my hearty thanks to all the non-reviewers out there who continue to read and enjoy… _

* * *

By the Light of the Silvery Moon

An hour later, Yori expertly placed the Kepler IV into lunar orbit, beating the incoming asteroids by mere minutes.

"Nice flying, Yori. Now, are you ready for some more bon-diggity retro-rocket action?"

"Affirmative, Ron-san. All that is necessary now is to adjust our orbit for optimum firing position, and…"

But the lithe ninja frowned as a warning light began to blink on her control panel.

Ron queried, "Sadie? What's the problem?"

Sadie replied, "Sorry, Ron, but I have some bad news. Yori was quite adept at keeping the ship stable during your first attack on the asteroids, but maneuvering thruster fuel is now almost exhausted. Indicators show only 10% remains."

"Oh, Fuji. And without those thrusters to stabilize us, we're dead in the water. Unless…"

He snapped his fingers as he came up with the obvious solution.

"If we can't move the mountain to the Monkey Master, we'll move the Monkey Master to the mountain! Take us down to the Moon's surface, Yori. We're landing. That oughta keep the Kepler steady enough for me to shoot at those incoming asteroids to my heart's content."

Yori adroitly landed the Kepler in the Sea of Tranquility in order to give Ron the widest arc of fire possible. Once again activating the Neutroniliser and its Asteroids game targeting interface, Ron easily repeated his earlier success. Less than an hour later every last asteroid had been rendered totally harmless. Ron proudly entered his initials once again into the game as the top scorer of all time.

"Well Rufus, I actually think a Space Invaders game interface would have worked a little better this time, but it got the job done, ah booyah!"

Rufus giggled in agreement as he gave Ron a tiny high five.

Turning to Yori, Ron breathed a huge sigh of relief as he mopped his damp brow. "Well, that's two asteroids down, and three to go."

Yori beamed back, "Yes, and I am proud of you and your American-style computer gaming skills, Ron-san. Your abilities as both the Mystical Monkey Master and as a geek gamer are truly without parallel."

She leaned over, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"And I am certain that Kim-chan will excuse my humble expression of thanks."

Ron began to blush. "Yeah, now that she's back in her right mind, that is. But, heh-heh, let's not push it, shall we?"

As he looked off into the distance at the steep face of the nearest mountain range, he was struck with yet another idea.

"And speaking of KP, that gives me an idea how to permanently memorialize my heart's one true desire."

He recalibrated the Neutroniliser to its lowest setting, carefully aimed it at the side of the mountain, and opened fire. With a few deft flicks of his wrist, his masterpiece was complete.

"There, that should do it. Booyah!"

Rufus chattered his approval as Ron admired his handiwork. Now emblazoned on the mountainside were the initials RS plus KP, surrounded by the obligatory heart. Yori responded with a soft giggle as she gently shook her head.

"Ah, Ron-san. There shall never be another one like you, of that I am certain."

He let out a self-conscious little laugh. "Yeah, you're probably right, Yori. But I wonder just how long my little carving will last?"

Yori gave him a deeply haunting look. "No doubt until the very end of time, Ron-san."

"Wow. That long, huh?"

Ron then spotted a glint of metal in the distance.

"Ooh, shiny!"

His curiosity piqued, he continued to stare at the tiny anomaly. "I wonder what that could be?"

His inquisitiveness quickly winning out over his better sense, he began donning a spacesuit, his train of thought now hopelessly derailed by the distraction of the moment.

"Hold down the fort, you two. I'll be right back."

Before either of his friends could offer any objection, he exited the airlock. Throwing caution to the wind, which was particularly difficult as the moon has no atmosphere, he loped closer to the object.

As he approached the gleaming device, he discovered that it was located amidst a landing site of some kind. He silently prayed that this wasn't yet another Lorwardian visitation, having had more than his fill of such events over the past few years. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the object was indeed part of a spacecraft, perhaps either its base or a launch platform of some kind. Walking around it, he made a startling discovery.

"An American flag?"

Walking up to the remains of the derelict ship, he noticed a plaque attached to the craft. He began to read.

"HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON JULY 1969, A.D. WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND."

"Whoa, then the moon landing wasn't a hoax _after _all! This is totally badical!"

But he immediately realized the tremendous import of his personal discovery.

He began to whine, "Oh, man! This means I've also been totally wrongo all these years in my belief that the entire Apollo program had been faked. Dang, and it also means I'll need to apologize to Mr. Barkin when I see him again for giving him such a bad time about that for so long. And eating crow is _so _not my favorite meal."

A small grin soon appeared on his helmeted face. "But maybe some Bueno Nacho will take away some of that bad taste once I get back to Earth..."

* * *

Meanwhile, Warmonga's cruiser was closing with the third asteroid, fully twenty-five miles in diameter and on a collision course with the Earth in less than twelve hours.

As they approached it, Tara gaped in awe at the gigantic rock. "Wow, look at the size of that thing!"

Bonnie glanced over at Kim and added with a sneer, "Yeah, K. I'd like to see you stop _that_."

Tara immediately gave her a stern look. "Bonnie, you had better pray that she _can_."

Bonnie's stern look softened a bit as she offered a quick apology. "Sorry. I actually really _meant _it when I said I'd like to see her stop that. And once we've taken care of these astronomical losers, we finally get to go back to Earth and locate that broken part for that mind switcher thingy. I'm sure Warmonga is just as anxious as I am to get back into our own bodies. Cuz _this_ one's always itchy. And hungry. Hand me another sandwich, will you?"

As she scarfed down her third meal over the past hour, the Lorwardian Empress added, "Indeed. Although very flexible in comparison, Warmonga's own body is much to be preferred. Although my hunger pangs at present are easily satiated, I miss my own superior strength and commanding presence."

Between huge bites, Bonnie mumbled, "Yeah? Well you better not be eating _too_ much. If you started eating as much as your _own _body needs, my body would get fat real quick. And I definitely do _not_ want to have to go on a diet once we're back on Earth."

Warmonga's eyes narrowed. "You are quite vain, Bonnie Rockwaller."

The teen shot back, "You've got _that_ straight, you overgrown alien piece of…"

But before Bonnie could finish her snarky remark, the Empress jumped out of her command chair and charged right at her, forgetting for the moment that she was still only half of Bonnie's present size.

"Insolent human! Warmonga has had enough of your attitude!"

Shego easily stopped her, placing an outstretched hand on the Empress' tiny human forehead as Warmonga furiously beat her hands into empty air.

"Whoa there, Your Highness."

Shego relished being able to finally keep Warmonga at bay with a single hand, her now slender human form easily kept under control of the raven-haired woman.

Warmonga seethed, "Let me go, WarShego. _No one_ is allowed to address Warmonga in such a fashion, whether or not she has assumed my likeness!"

Shego calmly replied, "Just cool down, Empress. Once you're back into your own body, I figure you'll probably end up throwing me into the brig for holding you back." She hesitated. "Literally. But in the meantime, don't be picking a fight with someone twice your size and several times your weight. Unless of course your name is David, and you're _really _handy with a slingshot."

Warmonga ceased her futile attack and growled, "But the Empress of Lorwardia will not stand to be addressed in such an insulting way!"

Shego nodded. "Oh, I agree totally."

She released Warmonga and marched up to the nearly nine foot high Bonnie.

"Okay, Rockwaller. Apologize."

Arms akimbo, Bonnie looked fearsomely down at Shego. "As _if_."

Shego immediately countered by igniting both gloves into bright flame with a powerful fwoosh.

Bonnie's haughty look melted away just as quickly. Throwing her hands up, she mumbled back, "All right, all right! I apologize."

Steve Barkin nodded in approval as the rest of the cheer squad tittered in laughter.

"Nice work, Miss Go. You always did have that special touch with the students."

He added with a slightly smarmy smile and a friendly wink, "And should you ever decide to return to substitute work, just let me know."

Shego gave him an offhanded yawn. "Thanks, but being Princess Regent of Lorwardia is really a full-time job, _Stevie_. As is being married to Drew, if you remember? You wouldn't want me to have to sick the dogs on you again, would you now?"

As Shego flashed him a wicked smile, Barkin paled a bit at the painful memory.

"Besides, the dogs back on Lorwardia are twice as big. And have nine-inch fangs."

He swallowed convulsively as tiny beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. Clearing his throat, he quickly sat back down and busied himself with some work that he had suddenly found overwhelmingly interesting.

Shego grinned and chuckled under her breath, "Yeah, I thought so."

Kim choked back a laugh as she continued to study the electronic notes that had been sent to her by the Middleton Observatory. They indicated that the third asteroid approaching them was of a very unusual type, largely composed largely of quartz and other crystalline minerals.

She mumbled to herself, "Now to figure out how to slow down this monster. Too bad we couldn't just vaporize the darn thing and be done with it. But the computer already confirmed that it would take the firepower of the entire Lorwardian Battle Fleet to do just that."

She let out a tiny sigh. "Well, as the saying goes, there's more than one way to skin a Thorgoggle. I've just got to find it."

She tapped her stylus on the electronic notepad.

"C'mon, Kim. This thing's gotta have a weakness somewhere. So let's see, it's made mainly of cristobalite quartz and other crystals."

She typed in a computer request and frowned at the answer. "Hmm. The melting point of cristobalite is about 1700 degrees Celsius, higher than even solid rock, so melting it isn't an option."

She wondered offhandedly, "Hmm. I wonder if it contains any diamonds or other precious stones."

Kim gazed down at her wedding ring, admiring the precision of each of the cuts that had been made by the master jeweler. Each facet reflected back a different color of the rainbow, and she marveled at how the gem cutter had been able to make just the right cut at the precise angle needed to reveal the new facet.

She gasped as she made an intuitive discovery. "Whoa! I've been going about this all the wrong way! I don't need to destroy the whole asteroid, all I need to do is cut it down to size..."

She spun around in her chair to face the Empress. "Uh, Bonnie?"

The Empress gave her a hard look.

"Oops, sorry. _Warmonga_, do your ship's sensors have any X-ray or ground-penetrating radar capability?"

"They are limited, but yes, Warmonga's ship has both capabilities."

"Spankin!' Then I need you to map this asteroid with both as soon as possible, please and thank you. How long will that take?"

"About thirty of your Earth minutes. But what is the purpose in this?"

"To find its weakest spot, and then go into the asteroid-cutting business…"

A half hour later the sensor scans were completed, and Kim intently studied the results as everyone eagerly looked over her shoulder.

"Yes! Look right here, along this fissure."

She traced her finger along a deep valley leading three quarters of the way around the asteroid.

"Apparently it was weakened by the stress of being flung at us at over 200,000 miles an hour. And according to these readings, that rift goes pretty deep, almost halfway through the asteroid. If we can apply enough firepower simultaneously at just the right points, we should be able to split it right in half."

Shego queried, "But what good will that do? Then we'll simply have two halves of a giant asteroid on a collision course with Earth instead of one whole one."

Kim smirked back, "Not unless we can get them to repel each other."

She recalled an event from a few years prior. "I remember what my Mom said when I first started dating Ron, which Dad wasn't too happy about at first, by the way."

"And what was that?"

"Opposites attract. And conversely, likecharges repel. All we have to do is ramp up both halves with enough negatively-charged static electricity, and the laws of physics will take care of the rest."

She tapped the ship's comm button.

"Ron? It's Kim. Come in, please."

A few seconds later, Ron appeared on the screen, grinning from ear to ear. He was relaxing with his hands behind his head and his legs stretched out across the seat next to him.

"Hey, KP! Good news. With the combo of the Neutronaliser Mark Two and the Ronman's mad computer gaming skills, we've taken care of the last pieces of Phobos _and_ Deimos."

He added with a chuckle, "So no more need to fear and dread 'Fear' and 'Dread!' "

Kim graced him with a wide smile. "Spankin' job, Ron! I knew you could do it!"

She continued with a sly grin. "So all those years of wasted youth playing Zombie Mayhem seem to have finally paid off, huh? But we're not out of the woods yet. We've reached the third asteroid and I have an idea about how we can take care of it, but I'll need your help. How soon can you be here?"

Rufus danced on the navicomputer's controls, quickly making the necessary calculations.

"We can be there in just under ten hours. So what's the plan?"

"First we need to split the asteroid in two, after which we'll charge both halves with enough static electricity so they repel each other, causing them to miss the Earth."

"Coolio! But where are we going to get a big enough Van de Graaff generator?"

Mr. Barkin interjected, "Stoppable, you mean you actually _were_ paying attention in class when I was demonstrating that static electricity device?"

"Of course, Mr. B. But I have to admit, you got my attention because I thought you were really talking about _Steffi _Graff."

Kim rolled her eyes and moaned, "Oh no, Ron. Not _another_ crush from the past?"

Ron easily replied, "Only a minor one, KP, and you and I hadn't started dating anyway. Just remember that 4 out of 5 Mystical Monkey Masters surveyed prefer cheer squad captains over tennis stars."

With a tiny laugh, Rufus added, "_Cheery Kimmie! Uh-huh, Uh-huh!_"

Kim giggled, "Nice save, Ron."

"Oh, and Kim? Just to let you know, your Dad needed to unload the Kinematic Continuum Disruptor in order to work on it back on Earth, which meant I needed a new co-pilot so I could concentrate on blasting those asteroids."

He panned the viewscreen back to reveal the pert headmistress of Yamanouchi.

She gave Kim a demure smile. "It was my honor to steer the Kepler while Ron-san fired away at those asteroids to his heart's content, Kim-chan."

Ron mumbled, "Are you, uh, okay with that, KP? Especially after all of those wrongsick delusions you just went through. It was kinda last minute and all."

Kim involuntarily shuddered at the memory of her recent nightmare regarding Yori. But she realized that it just been that, an aberration of her mind caused by the sabotage of their hyperlight engine.

"Well, if you'd asked me that a few days ago, I probably would have responded with a plasma blast to your head. But considering how well you healed my mind, I think I'm pretty much over my jellin."

She gave him a warning look before continuing, "Just as long as you don't give me anything _else_ to worry about, that is. And by the way, when did Yori learn how to fly a spaceship?"

Yori warmly replied, "Over the past year, Kim-chan, after your father installed a flight simulator at Yamanouchi. And many ninjas will also follow in my humble footsteps should need arise in future."

Ron gave Kim a relieved look. "So no problemo there, Kim. I promise. See you in about ten hours."

As he signed off, Kim turned to Bonnie with a smirk and declared, "So, _B_. Ron's not quite the loser you've always made him out to be. He's just saved the Earth _and_ the Moon."

Bonnie airily replied, "That's great, _K_. Now Junior and I will still have a place to stroll and moonlight to walk by, once I get my own body back."

Not to be outdone, Kim pressed her attack. "Your comeback sounds a little lame, even for you, Bonnie."

The cheer squad giggled as the two adversaries continued their sniping.

Tara asked Hope, "I don't think they'll ever stop. Do you?"

Hope smiled back, "Nah. Kim's too headstrong, and Bonnie's too snarky, and neither of them will ever change. But it'll always be fun to watch in the meantime…"

After declaring a truce with Bonnie, Kim turned to Warmonga. "All right, we're going to need a precise disruptor shot at these exact locations in order to split the asteroid in two. But if you use too much power, we'll risk turning it into a pile of deadly rubble, just like with the first two. So to ensure a successful cut…"

She looked over at Shego with a wide smile, who immediately replied, "Oh, great. Now what?"

"Shego, you and I are going to take a little trip down to the asteroid. I'll replicate myself and use my plasma for some precise blasts of my own all along that canyon. And I've got something special for you to do as well."

Shego looked doubtful. "I don't know, Kim. Sounds a little dicey to me."

But one flash of Kim's Puppy Dog Pout was all that it took.

"Okay! Okay! I give! You know how I hate it when you do that."

"Yup. Why do you think I do it?"

Shego heaved a rather exhausted sounding sigh. "Kim, I should have guessed from the very start that we were related. You get on my nerves almost as much as my brothers do."

Half jokingly, Kim agreed, "Likewise." She let out a little laugh. "But honestly, my brothers will probably _always_ bug me more than yours do to you."

This earned her a guffaw from Shego. "Oh, really? I'm not too sure about that. But once this is all over, let's get together and compare notes."

"Well, _that _should make for one ferocious convo. We could even include Ron and Drakken and discuss siblings _and _cousins. That should be one _heck_ of a stress reliever for all of us…"

* * *

Thirty minutes later, they landed gently on the surface of the massive asteroid, having used an escape pod for transport. Kim and Shego debarked and began to descend into the deep rift which ringed it.

Kim toggled her comm link. "All right, Shego. You stay on the surface where you can be my relay link to Warmonga's ship. I'll replicate myself and strategically locate my doubles all along this rift. When all of my doubles are in place, I'll signal you. Then I'll hit it with a full plasma charge at its weakest points, while Warmonga blasts the two weakest spots I've identified on the other side of the asteroid. Then it'll be your turn. If my calculations are correct, we'll cleave this puppy right in two, no big."

Shego warned, "Call me an eternal pessimist if you want, Kim, but somehow I get the feeling that it's not going to be as easy as all that. Just call it a hunch."

"Maybe, Shego, but it's our best bet at the moment. Unless you have a better idea?"

Shego raised up both arms in a signal of surrender. "Not me, princess. This idea is your brainstorm. I'm just along for the ride."

She continued a bit more cautiously, "Just be careful, okay? We both know you're not immortal, so if you run into a problem, give me a holler."

Kim offhandedly promised, "Compared to everything else we've been through lately, this should be a piece of cake. But if anything happens, I'll let you know right away."

With that assurance, she began replicating herself with a bright red glow and began descending into the rift. Leaving a string of Kims behind her as if they were a trail of breadcrumbs, she lit her way with just a touch of plasma, forming weird shadows on the huge canyon wall. Finally, she reached a cave within the very heart of the asteroid. But when she reached its center, she stopped short as she made a chilling discovery.

"Uh, Shego? We've got a problem. A big problem."

She widened the viewfield on her Kimmunicator, revealing a large, ugly looking alien device sitting on the cave floor.

Shego exclaimed, "Holy crap! Don't tell me… that looks like some kind of nuke, right?"

Kim instantly checked her suit's automatic Geiger counter, which had just begun clicking wildly. "Confirmed. But I have no idea how it got here, or what would trigger it."

Shego surmised, "I imagine something pretty big, like maybe an asteroid quake, just like what would happen if we hit this thing with a full charge from a ship's plasma disruptors?"

Kim warned, "Or maybe if either of us try to use our own plasma powers anywhere near it."

Shego hissed back, "Nuts. And I'll bet that bastard WarRaptor planted that thing here as a Plan B as in Booby Trap, just like that alternate universe Zorpox did to our counterparts."

"Yeah, but thanks to Ron's alternate, we were tipped off to that possibility."

"Good thing too. If that thing went off, it would fracture this asteroid into a thousand pieces."

"You're absolutely right, Shego. And those pieces would have an ever better chance of withstanding reentry into Earth's atmosphere than a normal asteroid would, since the type of quartz that makes up this asteroid has a melting point even higher than rock. So just say goodbye to our poor planet."

Shego felt a chill go up her spine. "Uh, Kim? What if this isn't a booby trap? What if this was WarRaptor's plan all along?"

"You mean, you think WarRaptor placed this nuke here on purpose? But how would he know when to set it off?"

Kim's question was answered when the device suddenly sprang to life, multi-colored lights now casting garish shadows onto the cave wall.

"Uh-oh. It's obviously a moot point now, but I'm guessing either a proximity fuse or a pre-set timer. Maybe both."

"So, Cupcake, what do we do now?"

"Call for backup, and quick. Warmonga, come in please."

The Empress answered, "Yes, Great Red. How is your progress?"

"Well, it _was_ going pretty smoothly until I discovered this."

She tapped her Kimmunicator, sending an image of the nuclear device to the Empress.

"Great Warhafter! That's an Illudium Q-35 Explosive Space Modulator! I haven't seen one of these since I was a young snarfling."

"So, uh, you know what this is?"

"Of course. It is an old-style thermonuclear bomb. And a rather bulky one at that."

"That's great, Warmonga. But do you know how to shut it down?"

Warmonga sadly shook her head. "Ooh. Apologies, Great Red. You cannot. Once activated, it has an automatic countdown feature which is impossible to disarm. Curiously, it was the use of this very same kind of device that prompted our wartechs to develop the ubiquitous Emergency Off Switch, thus saving our planet from destruction so long ago."

"Well, that's really fascinating, Your Highness, but unless we can find a way to turn it off, this asteroid is going to turn into the biggest shotgun blast in the history of our planet. Can you tell how much longer it'll be before it explodes?"

"Yes. Look on the side of the device. There will be a timer counting down to zero. Do you see it?"

Kim walked around the weapon, immediately spotting the rapidly blinking timer. "Yes, I've found it. But unfortunately I don't read Lorwardian."

"Move your comm device closer to it so that Warmonga may see."

As Kim did so, Warmonga smiled. "Ah, very good. You have plenty of time to evacuate the asteroid. Precisely 59 Earth minutes, to be exact."

"Well, thanks for the 411, but I'm not leaving here until I've disarmed it."

Shego cut in. "Warmonga, you just said that this is the same kind of device that prompted your wartechs to create the Emergency Off Switch. Please tell me that they retroactively added one to this one, or that we can somehow add a switch ourselves and shut the flippin' thing off?"

"Again, apologies. The Illudium Q-35 Explosive Space Modulator was taken out of service once an attempt was made to destroy our Planetary Power Plant with one during our Great Civil War. No Emergency Off Switch upgrades were ever authorized, and Warmonga is certain that one cannot be added if the bomb has already been activated."

"Uh, yeah, I get that, just great. But since Lorwardia is still spinning in space, how did you disarm that particular bomb in the first place?"

Warmonga smiled. "Oh, it was merely tractored out into space, where it harmlessly exploded far outside our atmosphere."

Kim now cut back in. "Great! Then let's do the same thing again, please and thank you."

"Ooh, apologies once again. After that event, the rebels redesigned it to automatically detonate if a tractor beam of any type is used on it."

Shego winced. "Wonderful. And I suppose that also applies to any plasma energy as well?"

"Actually, any high energy source would be sufficient to detonate the device."

"Wonderful. So they redesigned it to blow up if it's hit by any high energy beam, but _without_ an Emergency Off Switch. It's amazing that the Lorwardians even made it into space in the first place with that kind of mentality."

Warmonga hissed, "Need I remind you it was the _rebels_ who did that wretched redesign for their own nefarious…"

Kim wisely jumped in before their convo could devolve into another snarking match between the two. "Time out, ladies. It looks like WarRaptor purposely chose this type of weapon for that very reason, knowing it couldn't be easily disarmed. So that nixes any idea about me trying to use either my plasma _or_ super strength. And it's probably too heavy for even fifty Kims to lift without super strength, so that only leaves…"

Suddenly, a warning klaxon sounded and a bright, rapidly rotating light appeared on the top of the weapon.

Warmonga gasped, "Great Warhafter! That's the sixty-second countdown!"

Shego exclaimed, "Kim! What did you do?"

"What the heck? Nothing! I didn't use any of my powers!"

Shego sighed, "Kim, look at your suit."

Kim looked down at her body, still glowing bright red after using her replication ability.

"Oh, just great," she griped. "It must have picked up the readings from my duplication power. Wow, talk about a sensitive sensor…"

Warmonga commanded, "Both of you, get back to your pod! We'll tractor you out of the blast zone once you lift off."

Kim replied, "Sorry, Warmonga, there's no way I can make it back in time with my duplicates spread out across half the asteroid."

Shego yelled, "Kim, I'll be right there!"

"Stand down, Shego, you'll never make it in time. And what could you possibly do to help anyway? Get back to the pod and prep for takeoff."

"But…"

"No time to argue. If I can't disarm this thing somehow, maybe I can slow down the timer somehow and give myself enough time to escape. Besides, you couldn't even make it down here in time before this thing blows. Please?"

Shego sighed heavily. "All right, I'll prep the pod for launch. But I'm not leaving without you. Good luck, Kim."

"Don't worry, I think I can shrink myself small enough to avoid the explosion if it happens. It'll just be a matter of avoiding any subatomic particles whizzing by me at the speed of light. No big!"

She took a deep breath.

"I hope…"

_**TBC in one week…**_


	31. Crystal Lullaby

_Welcome to the next installment, as the clock continues to tick down for the Earth, Team Possible, and this story (!). And five chapters posted in as many weeks? That's got to be a record for me, and now that we're down to the last few chapters, I'm hoping to keep up the momentum. This week, the third asteroid meets its match, Team Possible comes up with a desperate plan to delay the next asteroid, and Shego's most closely guarded secret is revealed…_

_And thanks as always for this week's wonderful reviewers: Bookworm Gal, Eddy13, Jimmy1201, Sentinel103, CajunBear73, Beckman, Oreochema, pbow, whitem, Linzerj, levi2000a1, and a hearty welcome back to Katsumara!_

* * *

As the seconds ticked away, Kim muttered under her breath, "Where's Rufus when I really need him? He's really the expert on disarming just about any doomsday weapon we've ever come across."

Out loud she asked, "Okay, Warmonga. Just what makes this bomb so ferociously impossible to disarm?"

The Empress quickly replied, "The trigger mechanism is located within a heavily armored core. There's not enough time to use your plasma to melt through it, so the only possible way for you to access it in time is through the wiring from its exterior."

Kim smiled back in relief. "Great! Then all I need to do is shrink myself down and what, cut the red wire or the blue wire, right?"

"Ooh, apologies. While studying your planet, Warmonga enjoyed watching many of your planet's movie and televison action shows, where the hero always managed to defuse the bomb at the last possible second. That is why Lorwardia wisely decided to paint all its wires the same color: taupe."

Kim let out a low groan. "So you're saying that Earth is about to be destroyed because of our overuse of the Red Wire/Green Wire Trope?"

Warmonga gave a tiny shrug. "Sad but true, O Great Red."

"All right then, let's try plan B. Is the device set off by an electrical or a mechanical fuse?"

"Both. But you have only fifteen seconds left!"

"Then I'll have to think on my feet. Count 'em off for me, please and thank you."

"Very well then. Ten."

Kim shrank herself down to the size of an electron.

"Nine."

Finding the electrical path leading from the timer to the core, she instantaneously traveled down the wire.

"Eight."

Finding herself within the bomb's core, she located the lead to the electronic trigger.

"Seven."

Charging up her plasma to full intensity, she fired at the solid-state connection.

"Six."

She smiled as the electronics melted into a puddle of non-conductive material.

"Five."

Her color coruscating between red and purple, she increased her size to the height of a quarter-inch and simultaneously split herself into ten separate Kims.

"Four."

Now glowing blue as she charged up her super strength, her duplicates looked about the tiny compartment.

"Three."

Spotting the mechanical trigger, five raced to its top, the other five to its bottom.

"Two."

The five Kims above grabbed the firing pin and pulled as hard as they could, while the five Kims below forced the trigger receptacle out of alignment.

"One."

With an audible crack, the firing pin fractured, now bent hopelessly out of shape. With a dull thud, the broken trigger harmlessly collided with the now misshapen receptacle.

Kim and her duplicates breathed a collective sigh of relief as they recombined, shrinking down again to subatomic size and retracing their electrical path to the exterior of the now disarmed device. Resuming her normal size, she toggled her Kimmunicator.

With a grin, Kim smugly chided the Empress. "Well, Warmonga. Your bomb's now defused. Like I've always said, nothing is impossible for a Possible."

Immediately recalling that she had scolded Ron in the past for his own big headiness, she backed off a bit. "So thanks very much for your help, Warmonga. And next time I promise not to cut it so close."

Shego broke in on the frequency, irritation in her voice. "Kim, did you purposely cut it to the last possible second just to try and make me mess my spacesuit?"

Kim gave a gleeful snort. "Well, did you?"

Shego shot back, "No way. You have any idea of how much that would stink it up?"

"No, I don't. But, uh, apparently you do?"

A sly grin appeared on Shego's face. "Not from personal experience mind you, but there _have_ been rumors about Ron. You know how panicked he gets at times."

Kim made a sour face. "Ew, Shego. TMI, please and thank you? Anyway, it's safe to come back now. And don't forget, I'm letting you perform the _coup de grace_, if you remember."

Shego's smile widened. "Wouldn't miss it."

With the immediate crisis over and Kim's duplicates redeployed at their strategic locations about the asteroid, Warmonga maneuvered her ship to above its opposite side. Now hovering a mere mile above its surface, she independently targeted each of her plasma arrays at the precise locations Kim had specified.

"We are now in place and ready to fire, O Great Red."

Shego rolled her eyes, still not quite used to the superlative Warmonga now insisted on calling Kim.

The pert redhead replied, "We're all set here as well. Shego, are you ready?"

"Roger that, Kim. Just say the word."

"All right everyone. A fifteen-second continuous burst should do it. We'll commence firing ten seconds from my mark. And… _Mark!_"

Ten seconds later, fifty Kims opened fire, each launching an intensely concentrated burst of plasma at the weakest sections of the asteroid. Likewise, Warmonga simultaneously opened fire, bright beams of energy lancing out from her craft. As they hit the asteroid, large chunks of quartz crystal began to split apart, fracturing easily beneath the blistering attack.

As the fifteen second mark approached, Kim yelled out, "All right, Shego! Let 'er rip!"

With a furious war cry, the raven-haired heroine cut loose with perhaps the most powerfully concentrated single burst of plasma she had ever fired in her entire life. Hitting the weakest remaining point on the asteroid at a precise right angle to the stress created by Kim and Warmonga's powerful blasts, the asteroid began to split in two.

The vibrations from the massive cracking could be felt right through Kim and Shego's boots. If the asteroid had had an atmosphere, the sound no doubt would have been deafening, as it continued to fracture throughout its entire circumference.

Awestruck, Steve Barkin watched the incredible spectacle through the front viewscreen. Huge geysers of crystalline dust shot out of the massive canyon that now completely encircled the asteroid, brightly lit up by the intense green glow from the two plasma-powered cousins. The cheer squad all pressed their faces up against any available viewport as they gazed at the breathtaking sight.

Barkin bellowed, "It's working!"

With a final wrenching crack, the two huge mountains of quartz cleanly separated. The asteroid had been successfully cloven in two.

Kim breathlessly yelled out, "Cease fire!"

All eyes were glued on the two huge chunks of quartz as they slowly began to drift apart. Everyone onboard the Imperial shuttle gave out a whoop of delirious satisfaction, even Bonnie and the usually surly Steve Barkin.

"Yeah! Way to go, K!"

"Nice shooting, Possible! And you too, Ms. Go! Uh, Shego..."

With a satisfied nod, Warmonga added her congratulations. "Yes, WarShego. A perfectly aimed shot, and worthy of the appellation I have granted you."

Kim chimed in, "Just like an expert diamond cutter. Good work everybody! And now that we've finally split this wrongsick puppy in half, all we need now is Ron and the Kepler in order to finish the job."

Right on cue, the Kepler IV appeared in the distance. "Hey, anyone call for some asteroid-side assistance?"

Kim happily replied, "Perfect timing, Ron! We've just finished splitting the asteroid, and we're ready now for Phase Two. Has Rufus reconfigured the Neutroniliser for continuous negative ion fire?"

Rufus scurried over to Ron, flashing a toothy smile and giving him a big thumbs up.

"That's a positive, KP. Pun intended."

Warmonga quickly pushed a series of buttons on her weapons panel. "And this craft is likewise configured for sustained electron firing."

Kim nodded. "Great! I guess we'll just call this the biggest static electricity experiment in history, huh?"

Ron piped up, "Hey, Mr. Barkin? Do I earn any extra credit for this?"

Barkin growled, "Stoppable, you've already graduated! What good would that do?"

"Well, _heh-heh_, maybe it'll make up for the fact that I just found out that the moon landings weren't, uh, a hoax _after_ all."

As Steve gently began to massage his temples in order to ward off a sudden migraine headache, Kim declared, "Okay everyone. After I recombine myself, Shego and I will return to the pod. After we lift off, we'll signal you to open fire. Let's make sure that these asteroid fragments give the Earth as wide a berth as possible."

Ten minutes later, Kim gave the final command. "Okay everyone, we're on our way. Prepare to open fire."

Yori announced, "Making final course correction for optimal firing."

Warmonga likewise declared, "Now in position. Ready to fire."

Kim took a deep breath. "Fire at will. And cross your fingers, everyone."

Beams of pure white energy lanced out from both craft, brighter than the most powerful lighting bolts ever seen on Earth. As soon as they struck the asteroid halves, the huge masses began to visibly repel each other, rapidly increasing in velocity.

As everyone stared wide-eyed at the spectacle, Kim gushed, "Looks like it's working! Sadie, can you give me a reading on their velocity away from each other in feet per second?"

As usual, Sadie offered a cautious reply. "Yes, Kim, the electrostatic charge in each half is building up, but not as quickly as my original calculations had indicated. They are now repelling each other at 2000 fps and increasing, and this will level out to only 3000 fps within the next ten minutes."

Kim frantically queried, "But will it be enough so that both halves will miss the Earth?"

Sadie's relays clicked furiously as she made the necessary calculations. Within a few seconds she had the answer.

"Yes, but just barely."

"Well, _that's_ a relief. But why aren't they repelling each other even faster?"

"The static charge just isn't building up fast enough, due to the piezoelectric effect."

Ron whined, "Now, what does an electric pizza have to do with it?"

If a computer could sigh, Sadie would have at this moment. "The piezoelectric effect is an electric charge caused by mechanical stress on certain crystals. In other words, the tremendous grinding together of the two asteroid halves as they separated has negated much of the static electricity that you hoped would force them apart. Even worse, the farther the two fragments get from each other, the weaker the electric charge between them becomes. And with contact only four hours away, Earth's gravitation is now drawing them in even faster. Still, chances are good that they will now simply skip off its atmosphere like a flat rock skipping across a pond. However…"

Picking up on Sadie's implication, Shego griped, "Uh-oh, here it comes…"

"By my calculations, one of the halves will continue on a collision course with the Moon, just over one day from now."

Ron shoulders slumped. "Oh, snap. And there's no way we can take out that half of the asteroid without splitting it up and forming one humongous wrongsick collage."

"Uh, don't you mean _barrage_, Ron?"

"No, I actually _meant_ collage. Which is what the Moon will look like when one hundred thousand quartz crystals imbed themselves into its surface. And I'm telling you, it won't be pretty."

He narrowed his eyes and growled through clenched teeth. "Not pretty at all."

Kim growled back, "Well, we haven't come all this way to have an inanimate asteroid make a monkey out of us, so…"

She glanced at Ron's image on the viewscreen. He had crossed his arms and was now tapping his foot in mild irritation.

"Oops. Sorry, Ron. No offense meant. What I meant to say was that we've come too far already to give up now. Sadie, what effect would our respective ship's tractor beams have now that the asteroid's been split apart?"

Sadie replied, "Sorry, Kim. The effect would still be minimal.

"Then there's only one last chance to ensure those asteroid halves miss both the Earth _and_ the Moon. Warmonga, what's the yield of that Illudium Q-35 Explosive Space Modulator that I just disarmed?"

Ron's jaw dropped. "Hey, wasn't that the device Marvin the Martian tried to use against Earth in that old Bugs Bunny cartoon?"

Warmonga gave him a condescending look. "No. That was the Illudium _Q-36_ Explosive Space Modulator. Entirely different."

Not quite convinced, Ron mumbled back, "Oh, yeah. Right. So, what's the diff?"

"It is a tale that Lorwardia remembers with shame, and we do not discuss it with outworlders."

"Oh, uh, then sorry I asked."

"To answer the Great Red's question, the weapon has the explosive force of 1000 megatons."

Kim then queried, "Sadie? How far away would the asteroid halves need to be in order to withstand a 1000 megaton blast without fracturing it into several thousand pieces?"

Relays clicked furiously as Sadie made the requested calculation. "Approximately 100 miles, which will be achieved in less than five minutes."

Kim glanced at her cousin and ordered, "Shego, reverse course, please and thank you? I think we might have a use for that Q-35 Space Modulator after all."

Shego looked aghast. "You mean to tell me you're actually going to try and set that thing off? Are you sure the Ronster completely fixed your mind, because you sure seem to have a death wish lately. But even if we're not blown up right along with it, we'll still be so close that the electromagnetic pulse will fry every circuit in our pod, as well as in the Kepler and Warmonga's shuttle, just like what happened in that alternate universe. "

Kim tried to reassure her. "So not the drama, Shego. The Kepler and Warmonga's shuttle can position themselves behind the asteroid halves, which will provide them with ample protection from the EMP. But our own pod will definitely need some extra shielding, and I'm thinking of the Mystical Monkey kind."

She toggled her comm switch. "Hey, Ron? Can your MMP withstand an EMP?"

Ron offered a confused reply. "What was that, KP? Why would I need to defend myself from an emergency medical technician?"

Kim sighed, "Ron, that's an EM_P_, not an EM_T_. So can your powers shield us from the electromagnetic pulse that'll be generated when that nuke goes off?"

"Ohhhh, I get it. You're going to blow up the Q-35 to give a little more oomph to their velocity, right? Then that's a bon-diggity 10-4, KP. Your dad even did some tests last year after the last battle with the Lorwardians. It seems that my powers can shield us from just about any kind of radiation, although the more intense it is, the less amount of time I can keep it up."

"So how long could you could handle an EMP followed by a nuclear blast 100 miles away?"

"At least ten minutes, KP, guaranteed. No problemo."

"Super! Then spirit yourself over to our pod while we tow the Q-35 to the optimum location between the two halves. Warmonga, Yori, take your ships behind each of the asteroid halves for protection from the EMP. I'll signal you both when I'm ready."

"Hey, why don't you just spirit yourself over to the bomb yourself and save us the trouble?" Shego ventured.

"That's a negatory, Shego. If my spirit's separated from my body, I can't affect anything physically."

"But didn't you possess Kim's SL Coupe on Lorwardia last year when you ran over Zorpox?"

Ron gave her a distinctly uncomfortable look. "Uh, yeah, but that was different. I really don't want to be inhabiting the same nuclear device I'm trying to blow up at the moment it explodes."

"Hmm, the Ronster does have a point."

Kim agreed, "Well, it looks like it's up to me then, so the sooner I start, the sooner we'll be done."

Ten minutes later, Kim had rearmed the device and cut it loose from the pod, where Ron's spirit patiently floated. "I couldn't fix the electronic timer since I melted it already, so I repaired the physical trigger. One good blast from my plasma should be all that it takes to set it off its hair trigger. But first we need to get to a safe a distance as possible and still allow me to hit it with a plasma shot. Then I'll get back in the pod, and Shego will hit the gas while you envelop the pod with a mystical force field."

"Roger that, KP."

"All right then, here I go. Open the pod bay doors, Shego."

"I'm sorry, Kim. I'm afraid I can't do that."

Kim cocked an eyebrow. "Uh, so what's the problem?"

Shego griped, "Hey, give me a chance to get my helmet back on so I can depressurize it first, Kimmie. Do the words 'explosive decompression' mean anything at all to you?"

Kim looked relieved. "Sure. I was just afraid you might be locking me out for some reason, that's all."

Once they were 100 miles from the Q-35, Shego slowed the pod to a stop, and Kim again debarked. "All right, since we're so far away, I'll fire a wide angle shot to make sure I hit it. I made that trigger pretty sensitive, so all it needs is enough of a nudge to set it off."

Bracing herself against the pod, she cut loose with a generous plasma burst which disappeared into the distance. Quickly climbing back into the pod, she ordered, "Okay Shego, let's get out of here, and quick. Ron?"

"Don't worry, I've got both your back _and_ front. And that goes for the top of your head as well as the souls of your feet, Kim."

Kim contentedly smiled at Ron's hovering form. "Nice to know, Ron. And it gives me a warm feeling inside knowing that you're protecting us."

"Anytime, KP. You know that."

Shego was about to say something snarky, but after realizing that she would have said something similar to Drew, she wisely kept quiet.

A mystical blue shield began to envelop the pod as it raced off to safety. A few minutes later, a bright flash appeared behind them.

Shego remarked, "Looks like you got it, Kim."

Ron jibed, "All right, ladies. Please return your seats and tray tables to their full upright position and hold on for dear life. This ride's about to get a little bumpy."

Shego looked down at her control panel. "EMP incoming. Contact in three… two… one…"

Kim felt an almost imperceptible vibration, but otherwise the pod escaped any ill effects.

"All systems still normal. Great job, Ron!"

The mystical monkey master warned, "That was only the EMP. The shock wave's going to be a lot bigger."

Shego announced, "And here it comes. Impact in three… two… one…"

The pod shuddered much more violently this time, and Ron let out a small yelp.

"Whoa, ho, ho!"

The pod began to spin within Ron's energy field like a well-greased ball bearing. Kim and Shego both let out a yell as centripetal force pinned them into their seats.

Kim yelled, "Ron! Can you stabilize us, please and thank you?"

"Sorry ladies! I didn't realize you'd be bouncing around so much in there."

The pod immediately steadied as he added more energy into his protective field.

"Thanks, Ron. That's much better."

The comm channel activated, and Warmonga cheerfully announced, "Glorious news! The two asteroid halves are now separating from each other at over 4000 fps. There is now no chance of impact with either your Earth or its moon. Congratulations to you all."

"Thanks, Warmonga. We're going to board the Kepler now and return to Earth to pick up the PDVI/KCD combo. And I'm sure you'd like to do the same and get your own bodies back."

Bonnie couldn't have sounded more relieved. "You said it, Kim."

Kim and Shego were soon back on board the Kepler, where Yori greeted them both with a gracious bow.

"Welcome aboard, Kim-chan and Shego-chan. And may I add my humble congratulations."

"Thanks, Yori. Now let's set course for Earth at our best possible speed. Shego, see if you can raise Dr. Drakken and my father."

His spirit now back in his own body, Ron gave Kim a warm hug and an even warmer kiss.

"Good work, KP. So that's three down, and two to go."

"Right back at you, Mr. Monkey Master. But the remaining two asteroids are the largest, and our radar imaging shows that they're both as solid as a proverbial rock. And at 50 and 100 miles respectively in diameter, there's no way we're going to simply split them in half or blow them away like we did with the first three. Hopefully my dad and Dr. Drakken have completed their work on the PDVI so we can finally take care of them as well."

She looked up as her father's exhausted face appeared on the viewscreen.

"Good news, Dad. We've taken out the third asteroid. So how goes your work?"

James rubbed his tired eyes. "I wish I had better news, Kimmie-cub. The Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer from that parallel universe has some unusual quirks that are slowing down the process. I'll let Wade explain."

Her faithful super genius appeared on the screen. "Hey Kim! Great to see you!"

"You too, Wade! So what's the sitch?"

"Well, the different atomic frequencies of its component parts are the biggest problem. We're continuing to make adjustments, but it's really slow going, even with Drakken's help. But I'm happy to say that he's been amazingly helpful, by the way."

The bright flash of an electrical discharge was seen in the background, followed by a yelp of pain from Dr. Drakken.

"And he's only shocked himself four times since starting work on the PDVI, which I understand is better than average for him."

Shego smiled wanly as she gently shook her head. "Yeah, in the good ol' days he would have shocked himself at least ten times, and I would now be on my way to the drug store for another case of antiseptic spray."

Kim suppressed a giggle as she continued, "So what's your estimate on when you'll be finished? The next asteroid is due only 14 hours from now."

"Well, we may be able to load the combined Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer and Kinematic Continuum Disruptor onboard within twelve hours, but the final adjustments and testing will probably take another six. I know, we don't have that much time, but that's my best estimate."

Kim frowned, choosing her next words carefully. "Wade, we all really appreciate all the work you three are doing, and so does the entire world. But unless we can stop the next asteroid within 14 hours, we're all dead."

Wade responded with look of exasperation as he rubbed his eyes in frustration. "I know, Kim. Please understand, we've all been working on this non-stop, and we know all too well what we're up against. Our brains are pretty much fried, but somehow we'll do it."

He continued with a tired smile. "But make no mistake, everyone here really appreciates the breathing space that Team Possible has provided us with so far. I just hope that it'll be enough."

In a consoling tone, she replied, "I know, Wade. And the world is already in your debt too, along with my Dad and Drakken. And we'll do everything possible on our end, I promise. So good luck, and we'll see you in a few hours. Kepler out."

She let out a sigh of frustration as she turned to her friends. "All right, you heard it. Somehow, we've got to at least slow down the next asteroid, if not stop it in its tracks. And at this point I'm open to any suggestions, no matter how crazy they may sound."

She gave each person a long look, mentally trying to assess each individual's strengths, and how each could possibly help in the present situation.

"_Shego. Snarky ex-villainess, former adversary, and my cousin. She just saved my life by somehow tapping into my powers, for which I'm forever grateful. Along with Drakken, they've been my most unlikely allies over the past year. But it's scary when I realize how much we really have in common… Awesome plasma powers, my match in hand-to-hand combat, and an excellent pilot. She can probably fly rings around anyone with anything from a jet fighter to a starship._

_Yori. The new headmistress of Yamanouchi after Sensei's passing last year. Trustworthy and honorable to a fault, and still a good friend in spite my occasional jellin.' And one of the first to realize that Ron and I were destined to be together both romantically and in bad guy butt kickin.' Combat skills on a par with both me and Shego, and with mystical powers on a par with Ron's._

_Rufus. Super-intelligent naked mole rat, genetically enhanced by a benevolent alien race to guide both Ron and I into our greater destinies. And along with me, Ron's closest friend. Cute little critter, loves cheese, and has a penchant both for fixing things and disarming doomsday weapons."_

_Ron… _

She sighed dreamily.

"_My husband, my lover, and my best friend ever since my first day at pre-K. Uh, the friend part, that is. Husband and lover came a bit later… Laid back, goofy, unfocused at times, and at 20 years of age still maintains that sense of childlike wonder. And therefore, the perfect Type-B Yin to my Type-A overachieving Yang. And I love him so very much for not only keeping me in balance, but watching my back. Like he always has, and always will. And between his Mystical Monkey Power and the power of imagination, he's saved both my life and the world several times over." _

Kim immediately received a mental thank you from both Ron, Rufus and Yori.

With a chagrined look, she slapped herself on the forehead. "And I forgot the most important thing. Three of you also have totally spankin' mind reading abilities, thanks to advanced Mystical Monkey Power…"

Shego cocked an eyebrow. "Huh? Did I just miss something?"

Ron snickered. "Yeah, but that's okay. Oh, and Kim thinks you're okay now in her book."

Still looking a bit confused, she mumbled. "Uh, great. Likewise, I'm sure."

Kim announced, "All right then. This next asteroid may be bigger than each of us individually, but collectively I'm sure we've got it beat. In the past I've been the girl who can do anything, but now we need to be the _team_ that can do anything. It's just a matter of capitalizing on our ferocious strengths and coming up with the right plan."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"So, ideas anyone?"

Shego was the first to make a suggestion. "If I remember, that damaged singularity engine in Zorpox's Death Naco almost sucked Lorwardia right into it. How about taking Warmonga's ship and setting its engine to implode? The resulting black hole would easily pull that damn asteroid completely into it."

Ron exclaimed, "Badical idea, Shego!" He continued with a snicker, "But we'll need to keep Rufus away from its Emergency Off Switch, 'natch."

Rufus replied with a devilish snicker of his own.

But Yori cautioned, "You forget however that Zorpox's ship nearly pulled the entire Lorwardian star system into it as well, Shego-chan. We would not wish for same event to happen to our solar system. Throwing out baby with bathwater would be quite bad, as your American saying goes."

Shego gave a non-plussed shrug. "Hey, just an idea, Ninja Girl. Not saying that it's perfect."

Kim agreed. "Yeah, and even if the Earth didn't get sucked into the resulting singularity, its gravitational field alone might be enough to pull the Earth out of orbit. And that would be so the drama."

Ron then suggested, "Then why don't we create a black hole with the Kepler, like when it was sabotaged? Those black holes were kinda small, and according to Mr. Dr. P, they only last about 24 hours."

Rufus broadcast a mental response. "_Yes, but that might be too small. It was large enough to absorb a spaceship, but might not be large enough to deal with this asteroid_."

Shego added, "And don't forget that it was the sabotaged PDVI that accomplished that little feat, and right now it's back on Earth being worked on by my lesser half, Cupcake's dad, and Nerdlinger. And even if we _could_ hook it up to the engine again, flying off into another dimension with a 50 mile wide piece of rock travelling right on your butt at 200,000 miles an hour isn't really my idea of having fun."

Ron grimaced. "Ooh, good point. So if we can't blow the wrongsick thing up, or suck it into a black hole, can we alter its course somehow?"

Kim thought for a moment. "Well, we don't have the firepower to blow it up, and we'd probably need something as big as a star to adjust its course now."

Ron agreed. "Yeah, and we'd need one humongous star for that…"

He instantly recalled the conversation that he had had recently with Yori about the philosophy of the five elements.

"_But please also recall the final element, Ron-san. Ku is often translated as Void, but can also mean either the sky or the heavens, depending on context. It expresses anything beyond our normal experience, especially things composed of pure energy. To the Mystical Monkey Master, it represents his spirit, thought, and creative energy. It also epitomizes his power, spontaneity and inventiveness_."

His creative juices now flowing, he began to repeat a single word, as if it were a mantra.

"A star… a star…"

Ron snapped his fingers as the power of his imagination kicked into high gear. "Or something with the gravitational attraction of a star. More precisely, a collapsed star. Which is just another name for… a Black Hole!"

Shego groaned, "Again with the Black Holes? I thought we decided that wouldn't work, for a galaxy full of reasons."

Ron gave her a smug smile. "Not if I create a portable one myself, and get the asteroid to follow it."

She laughed dryly and gave him a huge roll of her eyes. "Oh, puhleeeze. Delusions of grandeur much, Ronster?"

"No grandiosity implied, Shego. But what I have in mind is something that only a Mystical Monkey Master can do."

Yori brightened up as she caught on to his plan. "Ron-san! Do you mean…"

"Exactly. The Lotus Blade."

Shego looked at him askance. "The Lotus _what_?"

"The Lotus Blade."

Ron closed his eyes and began to concentrate. A pale blue aura began to glow about him as he outstretched his open hand. With a tiny breath of wind, the magical blade suddenly appeared, floating eerily before him. As he plucked the sword out of the air, Shego took a step back in surprise.

"Uh, nice parlor trick. But how is _that_ going to help us?"

He continued to explain. "The Mystical Monkey Master can summon this weapon at will, and can also command it to change into any shape or form he desires. So why not a Black Hole?"

Kim's jaw dropped wide open. "I know that the Lotus Blade is ferociously powerful, but are you sure you can do that, Ron? Even if you succeed, what if you get sucked into it yourself?"

Now sufficiently impressed, Shego growled, "Or _us_, for that matter?"

"Ooh, good point. That would probably ruin my whole day. Uh, make that _our_ whole day…"

Yori suggested, "Ron-san, perhaps if you could encase it within a mystical field of energy like you just did with Kim-chan's space pod, you would avoid any of its ill gravitational effects."

Kim excitedly continued, "As well as any negative gravitational effects on the Earth! It would only have to be large and powerful enough to attract that asteroid. And at that size, we'd be able to tow it behind the Kepler, get close enough to the asteroid and catch it within its gravitational field, then tow it safely out of harm's way."

Shego frowned. "Uh, Kim, aren't you forgetting something? Our chemical rockets don't have nearly enough thrust needed to tow an asteroid of that size, let alone a singularity."

"Well, how about the Kimpossibility Drive?"

Everyone gasped at Kim's suggestion.

"Kim, are you crazy? You know as well as I do that that's a big no-no within the confines of the solar system. At hyperlight speeds we'd be going so fast, we might accidentally crash right into a planet before we'd even know it. That sounds way too risky to me. And I'm not really into suicide missions."

But a solution to that problem then popped into the young redhead's mind. "You're forgetting my spankin' navigational comet powers, Shego. Even at hyperlight speeds, I can make sure we avoid hitting anything, even if it's as small as an asteroid or comet."

Shego's frown deepened. "But at faster-than-light speeds, that would take split-second timing. Kim, you may have amazing navigation abilities, but your piloting skills are only average. I'm the real expert along those lines, and you know it."

Kim nodded. "You're absolutely right, Shego. In order for that to work, we would need one individual with both of those awesome skills. But I think I know how we can manage that."

She turned to her ever-faithful husband. "Ron, do you remember Yoronfus, don't you?"

"You mean that mental fusion of Yori, me and Rufus that helped us defeat Zorpox last year?"

"Exactly. Do you think you could do the same with me and Shego?"

Ron thought long and hard before replying. "Well, the mental mechanics are definitely possible, but I'm going to be pretty busy just keeping the Lotus Blade under control. Especially if it's in the form of a singularity, and I'm trying to attract a 50 mile wide asteroid with it at the same time. I wouldn't want to risk trying that all at once."

Yori then suggested, "But it would be completely within my ability, Kim-chan. I can absorb both your minds within my own and utilize each of your unique skills. It would be my honor to pilot and navigate the Kepler, while Ron-san concentrates on controlling the Lotus Blade."

Ron gushed, "Yeah, and this time we can call that mental combo… Yokimgo!"

Kim raised an eyebrow. "I'm not so sure about the name, Ron, but the plan sounds decent enough. That is, if it's okay with you, Shego."

She hesitated before answering, "Well, it really wouldn't be my first choice, but it doesn't look like we have many other options, so I'm game. But just how risky is this? Is there any chance my mind's going to get stuck permanently inside Yori's head, or will my spirit end up floating out in the middle of space somewhere? Thinking about how Ron and Zorpox got split apart in not just one but _both_ universes doesn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside."

Yori smiled back confidently into Shego's pale green face. "By our good fortune, those were entirely different circumstances. And it will be my honor to carefully protect the essence of your being, as well as that of Kim-chan. However, there is one more thing of importance to consider. Once our three minds have joined, our past memories will be open to each, and there will be no secrets hidden from the other. Will this be acceptable to you, Shego-chan?"

She threw up her hands in surprise. "Whoa! Whoa! You mean Cupcake will have allmy memories? You do understand that we were enemies once before I decided fighting on the right side was more profitable, don't you?"

"Yes, Shego-chan. But…"

Shego continued without a breath, "And even though things are a lot different now, there are still a lot of memories I'd like to keep to myself, if you don't mind. I'll have to give this a lot of thought first."

Kim tried to placate her cousin. "Shego, I know you've gone through some incredible changes in the past few years, and it's really great that you've been able to adjust to them. And not only have they been really positive, but I've grown to accept you as friend because of them. Which, by the way, is really saying something after having been mortal enemies for so long. So I don't think there's any memory in your past that's going to either shock me or bother me in any way, I promise."

She added sincerely, "Or that I would _ever_ hold against you, no matter what it was."

Shego was silent for a long moment before replying, "Thanks for saying that, Kim. But having my whole life laid bare to _anyone_ just makes me want to hurl, especially thanks to some rather dark childhood memories that I'd just as soon forget."

She continued with a sigh, "And some other personal things as well. So I really need to think this over. And you of all people know how I hate to be pushed into hasty decisions."

"I hear you, Shego. Believe me, I understand. But the Earth doesn't have much time left, so…"

Kim hit her with her very best Puppy Dog Pout.

But Shego was prepared for Kim's sneak attack, and merely rolled her eyes. "You know how much I really hate that, don't you? But I have to admit, I do get your point. So let me think about it, okay? We still have a few hours before we get back to Earth, so I'll give you my answer by then. Besides, Drew and your dad might even have the PDVI up and running by then, which means we won't have to worry about any of this, right?"

"Hopefully," Kim conceded. "But if not, this may be our best option, if not our only one."

She turned back to Ron. "But we still need to proceed with this at least as a backup plan. So in the meantime, would you please work with Sadie to determine the size and density of the singularity you'll need to create in order to alter the trajectory of that asteroid? And the rest of us should get some rest before we get back to Earth. I've got a feeling it's going to get pretty busy for all of us really quick."

Shego muttered under her breath, "Yeah, like it hasn't been already…"

An hour later, Shego was still lost in her own thoughts. She wasn't as tired as Kim was, who had curled up in her command chair for a quick catnap, so she stared out of the front viewport as the blue orb of the Earth steadily increased in size.

"It's still there."

"What was that, Shego-chan?"

Yori had also remained awake in order to pilot the Kepler as quickly as possible back to their home planet.

Shego repeated, "The Earth. It's still there. And I hope it will always be."

Yori politely nodded in agreement. "As do I, Shego-chan."

"But it may not be unless Kim and I both allow you to merge our minds. And as much as it irks me, I'm not so selfish as to sacrifice the world over sharing my past memories, as personal as they are."

Yori asked hopefully, "So you will do it, Shego-chan?"

"I'll let you know in about an hour."

But Shego was still nursing her doubts. And not just over sharing her memories or concerning the plan itself, but about Kim's mental stability as well, especially after Kim's recent traumatic mental and physical trials. Normally she'd either try and tough it out herself, or perhaps confide in Drew to get his perspective when things got really dicey, but he was back on Earth, busy working on perhaps the one device that could save them all. And this left only one other person that she felt comfortable talking anything over with at the moment.

She quietly got up and entered the next compartment, where Ron was working with Sadie. "Hey, Ron. Got a minute?"

"Sure, Shego. What's on your mind?"

"I'll cut to the chase. Are you sure that Kimmie's really completely back in her right mind?"

Ron gave a casual shrug. "Yeah, I'm positive. She's as normal as you or me at the moment."

She fixed him with a cold stare. "That's really not saying much."

Ron mumbled, "Uh, let me rephrase that…"

With a gentle sigh, Shego gave him an offhanded wave. "No, that's okay. I know what you meant. It's just that this plan is going to depend largely on her navigational skills and my piloting ability, not to mention your mystical powers. But after everything Kim has just gone through, I'm still worried about her sanity, especially if my mind and hers are going to be bouncing around inside Yori's head at the same time. And that really scares me."

Ron steepled his fingers and graced her with a curious half smile. "Since I personally repaired her mind a few days ago, just like you repaired her brain, I'm bon-diggity positive that Kim's more than up to this. And since Kim, Yori and I have been within each other's minds quite a bit over the past year or so, I'm also sure that this will work, especially considering how well our Yoronfus meld worked in defeating Zorpox last year."

Shego shuddered at the memory of that incredible battle. That amazing union totally smacked down perhaps the fiercest, most dangerous villain that Team Possible had ever faced.

Ron carefully continued, "But if you don't mind me saying so, I think you're more worried about Kim becoming privy to your deepest, darkest secrets once your minds are joined together."

Shego's eyebrows shot up in amazement. "Whoa. You're almost as good with your discernment as Ninja Girl is."

Ron drolly replied, "Being a Mystical Monkey Master does have its advantages, Shego. And here's something that should help put your mind at ease: remember that a meld like this is a two way street. Kim and Yori will both be trusting you with _their_ memories as well. That's the chance they're willing to take to ensure that we pull this badical plan off."

She let out a small sigh. "Well, that actually does help. But are you sure there's no way that I can shield certain facts or thoughts from them? Even at this late date, there are certain things I'd just rather not have anyone know about me."

Ron snickered, "Heh-heh, you afraid that she's going to discover that beneath your fearsome, hard-ass, take-no-prisoners exterior, there exists a little girl who, what, likes to listen to love songs by the Carpenters and watches reruns of My Little Pony?"

A look of pure shock instantly appeared on Shego's face as she reflexively fired up her plasma. Ron feared that his lame attempt at humor might literally backfire right into his face. But just as quickly, she powered down and her usual sneer returned. "You're completely whacked, Stoppable. You know that?"

She turned on her heel and stormed out of the compartment.

Returning to her own quarters, she softly closed the door behind her. Checking the room to make absolutely sure she was completely alone, she sat down on her bunk and reached into her ankle pouch. Carefully removing her mePod, she donned her headphones and cued up the first track.

As Karen Carpenter began to softly croon "We've Only Just Begun," she reached into her pouch again and removed two tiny, colorfully painted equine figurines.

"Twilight Sparkle? Meet Pinkie Pie. We're going to have so much fun together today…

_**TBC…**_

12


	32. Threshold of Destiny

_Hello again, and welcome to the next exciting installment of Between The Stars. This week, Team Possible experiences a live Wade sighting as they weigh their options in taking out the final two asteroids, while our long-suffering Empress and the Cheerleader We All Love To Hate finally regain their own bodies. We're getting close to the grand finale, but as the saying goes, it's not over until the fat lady sings, so strap yourselves in tight for the next wild ride._

_But first, a tip of the hat to this week's spankin' reviewers: levi2000a1, Eddy13, Jimmy1201, CanjunBear73, zzzoo99, Sentinel103, Bookworm Gal, linzerj, whitem, Beckman, temporaryinsanity91, pbow, Tito-Mosquito, Oreochema, and continu. Booyah! And mucho thanks to all who continue to read and review... _

* * *

_Threshold of Destiny_

Jim and Tim Possible watched the TV in rapt attention, while the two huge asteroid halves approached the Earth at a terrific speed. The scene cut to a somber-looking President who sadly began to intone what would probably be his final announcement.

"The missiles have failed. The asteroids are still headed for Earth, and there's nothing more we can do to stop them. The smaller of the two halves will hit first, somewhere along the Atlantic Seaboard, in just under two hours. This will result in a very large tidal wave at least several miles high and traveling nearly 1000 miles an hour, faster than the speed of sound. As it reaches land, the wave will wash inland several hundred miles and will hit our nation's capital several minutes after impact. All of our major cities on the east coast will be completely destroyed. But for those of us who survive this, the impact of the larger half in Canada will be nothing less than an extinction-level event. Within days, the skies will be darken from the dust of the impact. Within weeks, all plant life will be dead followed by all animal life within a few months. So that's the size of it. Good luck to you all."

A voice called from the other room. "Jim? Tim? Time to go." Jim yelled back, "Just a minute, Mom."

Tim excitedly announced, "Here it comes..."

The first asteroid fragment entered the Earth's upper atmosphere, bursting into bright flame before smashing into the North Atlantic ocean with a terrific splash.

Anne Possible entered the room and frowned. "Time to turn off the TV, boys, or else we're going to be late meeting your sister."

But Jim was entranced by the image and barely heard her. "Wow, what a cool special effect!"

Jim however was unimpressed. "Nah, the explosion in _Deep Armageddon_ was _much_ cooler."

"Maybe. But the science was a lot more believable in _Apocalyptic Impact_."

As Anne switched off the TV, she shook her head in irritation. "My stars, playing a marathon of asteroid disaster movies at a time like this! What in _world _were they thinking over at Middleton Movie Classics?"

* * *

The Kepler IV made a pinpoint landing at the Middleton Spaceport just a few hours later, followed shortly thereafter by Warmonga's Imperial Shuttle.

Dr. James Possible, his wife Anne and the Tweebs were all on hand to greet the returning heroes. Kim rushed into her father's arms as he congratulated her. "Well done, Kimmie-cub. That third asteroid didn't stand a chance against you and Shego."

Kim warmly responded, "Thanks, Dad. And hopefully we'll have them all taken care of soon."

James next turned to Ron and shook his hand warmly. "And thanks to you as well, Ron. And I must say, you used a rather unusual method of targeting those first two asteroid fields. Ah, that classic Asteroids game _surrrre_ brought back some pleasant memories."

"Thanks, Mr. Dr. P. In the past, stress like that would have just freaked me totally out, but these days it just kicks the power of my imagination into high gear. But I have to admit, it did help tons that it was a video game. And I hear that Mr. Nakasumi wants to release a special 30th Anniversary Edition with my picture on it!""

Kim chuckled as she thought to herself, "_Yes, he's still full of childlike wonder_. _And that's still a really good thing, too_..."

James smiled back, "Yes indeed. You've come a long way in a short time, Ronald. And you've never given me any regrets for allowing you to marry my Kimmie-cub."

Anne pleasantly added, "And _I _never had any doubts about that in the _first_ place, Ron."

James winced at his wife's gentle jibe as Ron smiled back awkwardly, blushing at all the compliments.

Kim then interjected, "But don't forget that we still have two asteroids to deal with, and only eight hours left before the next one arrives. So how's your work coming along with the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer?"

"Well, we think we've completed all of the necessary sub-atomic adjustments to compensate for the alternate universe factors, and we're now ready to hook its electronic interface into the Kinematic Continuum Disruptor. The PDVI has proven to be one finicky piece of equipment, let me tell you. Especially since this one originates from an entirely different dimension."

The wistful memory of the alternate universe's Ron and Yori flashed through her mind. Kim still hoped that they could find a way to help them, but she realized they had a far more critical task of their own to complete first.

"That's great news Dad, but just how long before it's operational?"

James lowered his voice. "Hard to say, Kim. If we don't run into any more problems, we may be able to begin some actual tests in about six to eight hours. But if we hit any snags whatsoever, that will invariably delay us. And we've already run into quite a few unexpected problems already."

Kim gave her father another warm hug. "I know you'll all come through, Dad. You always have."

"Just like my daughter has, whom I'm very proud of by the way. But as amazingly fortunate as we've been so far, I'm afraid our backs are really up against the wall this time. However, I'm happy to report that we've received some invaluable help from some of the world's greatest scientists, Wade included."

Kim's super-genius friend walked up, grinning from ear to ear. Kim playfully gave him a small poke.

"Just making sure you're the real McCoy, Wade, and not just a hologram. So what's the sitch?"

Wade began with a chuckle, "Well, we're lucky that only a few members of the science team have questioned Dr. D's association with the project, in spite of his reputation both as a megalomaniacal villain and mad scientist. And that's been real good since his knowledge of the vortex inducer has proven invaluable."

His smile began to fade as he continued, "But unfortunately Middleton wasn't built in a day, as the saying goes. If we only had another twelve hours, I'd feel much better about the whole thing."

Now it was Kim's turn to smile. "Then I think I have some good news for you, Wade. We've got a plan to do just that. And if it works, hopefully it will give you just enough time to complete your project. So as soon as we finish refueling and get the disruptor loaded, we can take off."

In the meantime, Shego had been looking around for Drakken, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Speaking of the big lug, just where _is _Drew? I thought he would be here to meet me."

Wade replied, "Not to worry, Shego. He's meeting Warmonga's Imperial shuttle as soon as it lands so he can repair the brain–switch machine's transmodulator. Both Warmonga and Bonnie were particularly insistent about getting back their own bodies as soon as possible. And since we can't work on the PDVI while its being loaded onto the Kepler, he figured that he'd deal with them in the meantime."

He chuckled again as he gave them an all-knowing look. "And as you both know, Warmonga can be, uh, _quite_ persuasive when she has to. And that goes double for Bonnie, of course."

Both Kim and Ron shuddered at that particular thought, while at that very moment Bonnie was furiously berating the hapless Dr. Drakken...

* * *

"Hurry it up, Mr. Blue Skin Guy! I can't wait to get back into my own body!"

Drakken uttered a rather annoyed grunt as he finally pried open the access panel to the brain-switch machine.

"Patience, Ms. Rottweiler. You certainly wouldn't want me to drop this precious item in my haste to fix this contraption now, would you?"

With an indignant huff, Bonnie angrily shot back, "Of course not. And that's _Rockwaller_, not _Rottweiler_! I'm not some kind of vicious mutt, you loser!"

The cheer squad unsuccessfully tried to choke back a burst of laughter at Bonnie's comment, to which she responded with a extremely dirty look. Warmonga wisely held up a hand for quiet before the situation could get any further out of hand.

"Patience, Bonnie Rockwaller. Allow the Great Blue to do his job. Long have we waited for this joyous resolution, and we certainly can afford to wait but a few minutes longer to insure that the device is properly configured."

Drakken exhaled in relief. "Thanks, Warmonga, girl. I wouldn't want to make a clumsy mistake when I'm so close to finally fixing this thing."

Everyone gasped as he suddenly yelped in pain. But he merely stuck the thumb back in his mouth that he had just accidentally slashed with his screwdriver.

He muttered, "No worries, I'm fine, and so is the machine."

Drakken carefully removed the broken part. "Almost got it..."

But as he did, he accidentally touched the test probe to a live circuit, which responded with a generous shower of sparks. As he let out another cry of pain, a whiff of smoke rose from what little hair he had left after the past week's electrical misfortunes.

The cheer squad cooed their concern, all excepting Bonnie who lashed back, "Hey! Be careful! Are you trying to short that thing out on purpose, or what?"

As he unsteadily got to his feet, he muttered under his breath, "I never thought I'd ever be saying this, but this teen is more irritating than either Shego or Kimberly Ann ever were, even at their very worst..."

Out loud he grumbled, "Not at all. But if you do not leave me to work in peace, I just might accidentally drop this vial, which contains a highly radioactive isotope. And that would expose you, me, and everyone else on board to a deadly dose of radiation, thus guaranteeing your demise within the body you are currently inhabiting. Am I making myself perfectly clear, Bonnie, my dear?"

She responded with a frightened _urk _as she slowly backed away from Drakken and the brain-switch machine.

He grinned back at Bonnie, relishing the minor victory. "Yes, I thought so."

Next, he carefully installed the vial of cesium-137 and made one final adjustment before closing the access panel. Activating the machine, he was relieved when all indicator lights began glowing a bright green.

"There, that should do it. All right, ladies..."

He wisely refrained from adding, "_And I do use the term loosely._"

Mopping his damp brow, he continued. "Installation and final testing is complete. Now, if you'll both step over here and put on the headgear, I'll have you both back to normal in no time."

Warmonga and Bonnie wasted no time in acceding to his request. With a few deft twirls of the dial and the push of a button, Drakken activated the machine. The ghostly forms of each woman mysteriously appeared and floated past the other, finally resuming their place within the correct body. Both gasped in delight, each carefully checking themselves out to ensure that they were both truly back in their own forms.

Breathing a massive sigh of incredible relief, Bonnie exclaimed, "Well it's about time! Oh, it feels _so good_ to be back in my own body again!

The Empress appeared every bit as relieved. "Yes, Bonnie Rockwaller. And not a single qizmot too soon so far as Warmonga is concerned."

Bonnie naturally sought the nearest mirror and immediately began primping, closely observing how her figure had fared over the recent weeks. Without makeup on and definitely needing to wash her hair, if not take a long, relaxing bath, she scrunched up her face in disgust. She grew even more livid when she noticed how tightly her cheer outfit now clung to her newly plump form. In spite of frequent warnings, she had indeed put on several pounds while the Empress had occupied her body.

"Hey! I thought I told you not to eat so much! My uniform is so tight, I think I can feel my eyes bulging out! It'll take me at least two weeks of exercise to slim back down to my previously awesome figure, you overgrown Lorwardian piece of..."

But Bonnie's tirade was cut short as Warmonga immediately grabbed the hapless cheerleader by the throat, suspending her flailing body in midair.

Bonnie's face now mere inches away from hers, the Empress hissed, "And you have not been eating _enough_ while in Warmonga's body, Bonnie Rockwaller. I am famished, and my royal clothing now hangs loosely on my frame. And it will take Warmonga several weeks to regain the weight and muscle that she has _lost_."

But before Warmonga could do Bonnie any bodily harm, Drakken quickly launched what Warhok would have termed a cheerful attack. Separating Bonnie and Warmonga with his vines, he interposed himself between the two furious females in order to defuse the potentially deadly confrontation.

"Now, now, ladies. Just be happy that you've gotten your own bodies back, and that no real damage has been done. Ms. Rockwaller, why don't you take a lap or two around the spaceport while I, er, take Warmonga out to lunch?"

He flashed his most ingratiating smile. "I understand that the local Bueno Nacho has a special at the moment on braised Thorgoggle ribs, this week only. So I'm sure you'll both be back to your pleasant, cheerful selves in absolutely no time at all."

This comment earned him a sneer from both Warmonga and Bonnie, as well as a titter of laughter from everyone else present.

Placing Bonnie or the floor and withdrawing his vines, he concluded with a sigh of resignation, "Or not, as the case may be..."

* * *

An hour later, with the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer and Kinematic Continuum Disruptor securely on board, the Kepler IV rocketed off the launch pad. Piloting the spacecraft on the first leg of their mission, Shego immediately set course to rendezvous with the inexorably approaching asteroid.

"Thanks for the vectors, Kim. We'll be intercepting it within two hours."

On either side of the dark-haired beauty sat Kim and Yori, each lost in their own thoughts as they proceeded on course to their rendezvous with destiny.

Suddenly the televisor activated, and Yori broke into a wide smile as she recognized the face that appeared.

"Hirotaka!"

"Yes, Yori-chan. All continues to go well at Yamanouchi in your absence, and both teachers and students insisted that I convey this message: _Gokouun o inorimasu_ to both you and your fellow crew members. May the orbit rise with you, and may the solar winds be at your back. I earnestly look forward to seeing you all once you return. Especially you, my Yori-chan."

Yori let out a pleasant sigh. "Yes, my Hiro. You may count on it."

As his image faded away, Yori's thoughts returned to her dimensional double. "_I am truly blessed here. Would that my counterpart had been so fortunate_..."

Turning to Kim, she queried, "Kim-chan, should our current plan succeed, will we be able to dispatch the final asteroid in the same way?"

Kim gave a negative shake of her head. "Unfortunately not, Yori. Sadie has calculated that we'll use up more than half our rocket fuel getting the Kepler up to the necessary speed, while Ron attracts that asteroid with the Lotus Blade, or Lotus _Singularity_ as Dad likes to call it. Besides, the last remaining asteroid is twice as massive as the one approaching us now, and we'd need an even bigger singularity plus a few more Keplers to tow it."

"Then let us fervently hope that your father, Wade-san and Drakken-san can finish their work in time."

While Ron and Rufus rested in preparation for the Lotus Blade transformation, the scientists continued to work on the electronic interface between the two devices. An hour later, Wade walked onto the command deck.

Kim looked up hopefully. "So what's the sitch, Wade?"

The tired look on his face wasn't very reassuring."Well, Kim, good news and bad I'm afraid."

She gave a small shrug. "Well, that seems par for the course today, so spill already."

"The good news is that we've finally completed the interface. But the time-space equations are so complicated that we won't have a final solution to each variable before the next asteroid hits. Even worse, I've been running some simulations, and I suspect that the use of the Lotus Singularity and the Kimpossibility Drive at the same time in such close proximity to the PDVI. Extensive readjustments will be needed before we can make it fully operational. Any adjustments we make right now will be thrown out of kilter by having what amounts to two Black Holes in such close proximity to each other.

"Uh, couldn't you just take your best guess and try it now?"

"Way too risky, Kim. Sadie is currently crunching all the numbers, but until she's finished, anything we'd do right now would be pure guesswork. Besides, we'd need the Kimpossibility Drive to power it, and that's not possible if we're using it to tow the next asteroid at the same time."

She gave a bleak laugh. "Anything else?"

"Well, yes, actually."

She rolled her eyes. "I just had to ask..."

"We'll also need to carefully adjust the PDVI's power input. Too little energy, and nothing will happen. Too much, and we might get sucked into the resulting vortex ourselves, at least according to what we understand right now about both quantum gravitation and string theory."

While he was explaining this to Kim, Ron wandered in looking for any cheese that might be on board to give Rufus a little snack. "String theory? As in string cheese, maybe?"

"No, string as in vibrations, actually."

Ron brightened up. "Oh, I get it. So are we talking six-string or twelve-string? Uh, that's assuming we're talking about guitars, that is."

Wade winced at Ron's comment. "Actually, string theory is an attempt to figure out the theory of everything in the universe, just like Einstein tried to do with his Unified Field Theory at the beginning of the last century. But this specific theoretical framework tries to analyze matter right down to the quantum level of matter, where point-like particles are replaced by theoretical one-dimensional objects called strings."

Ron's blank look clearly indicated that this scientific convo was way over his head. "Uh, okay, now you've totally lost me. But didn't you just say these theoretical stringy thingies vibrate?"

"Well, come to think of it, they actually do, after their own fashion."

"Okay, so what pitch do they vibrate at?"

Wade cocked an eyebrow. "Are you asking what _key_ the universe is in, Ron?"

"Yeah, I suppose I am. My vote is for C Major. No sharps or flats!"

As Ron began wailing away on an invisible air guitar, Kim rolled her eyes, but still had to smile at her husband's imagination.

"Try to focus, Ron. Since the PDVI/KCD combo won't be operational in time, it looks like we'll definitely be needing you to create that singularity with the Lotus Blade."

He cheerfully replied, "No problemo, Kim. Your Mystical Monkey Master is totally up to the task, especially with Rufus' help. Then we'll celebrate afterward with an all-you-can-eat feast at Bueno Nacho once we get home. Right little buddy?"

Rufus rubbed his tummy in anticipation. "_Sure thing!_"

The Kepler IV rapidly approached the huge asteroid, pockmarked with hundreds of craters after countless collisions with other asteroids during its several billion years of existence.

Ron stared at the gigantic mass of rock and dust, hurtling toward the Earth at better than 200,000 miles per hour.

"Wow, would you look at the size of that thing?"

Shego deftly maneuvered the Kepler to a point precisely fifty miles in front of the planetoid, perfectly matching its course and speed.

"All right, Kim, we're in position. Looks like it's all up to the Ronster and Ninja Girl now."

"Thanks, Shego. Sadie, time to Earth impact?"

Sadie dutifully responded, "One hour, thirty five minutes, Kim."

"All right, then. We'll need to be traveling at a minimum of half the speed of light before kicking in the Kimpossibility Drive. Any slower, and the sudden change in velocity will break the gravitational attraction of the Lotus Singularity. And we can't let it get too close or too far away, either. Dr. Drakken, you'll be responsible for monitoring its distance from the Kepler."

He nodded in acknowledgment. "Understood, Kimberly Ann."

Next, she turned to address her father. "Dad, I'll need you to monitor both the Kimpossibility Drive as well as our structural integrity to make sure we don't either accidentally implode or tear the Kepler apart in the process, please and thank you?"

He flashed a confident smile at his daughter. "Roger that, Kimmie-cub."

"And Wade, please keep your eye on both the gravitational and radiation effects of the Lotus Blade once Ron turns it into a singularity. If either one gets too strong, flag Ron to release the asteroid, and we'll just have to take our chances that it won't just go into orbit around the sun and smash into the Earth sometime in the future."

Wade positively replied, "No problem, Kim."

"But first, Yori needs to tap into both my mind and Shego's in order to utilize our unique skills. So are you ready, Shego?"

She offered a halfhearted response. "Ready as I'll ever be, I guess. I'm still not happy with sharing every memory I've ever had with you, Princess, but the sooner we start the sooner it'll be done. So let's get this over with."

Yori graced her with a gentle smile. "I have pleasant news for you, Shego-chan. As powerful as both your minds are, neither you nor Kim-chan are highly trained in the mental arts. Nor are you masters of Mystical Monkey Power as Ron-san, Rufus-san and I are. After deeply meditating these past few hours, I am confident that I will be able to limit our mutual recall as we fuse our individual minds."

Shego looked incredibly relieved. "Well, that's about the best news I've heard all day."

Yori now addressed them both. "Once the mystical union of our consciousness is complete, please to choose one event or memory from each of your lives, and focus on that. Your chosen memory will come to the forefront and be the one that will be most vividly shared between each of us, while all other memories will become secondary."

Shego asked hopefully, "Or maybe not shared at all?"

"Perhaps not completely, but they will simply be fleeting images rather than total recall, almost as if they were merely a dream."

Her smile widened. "Super. I think I can handle that. How about you, Kim?"

"Believe me, that's a spankin' relief for me too."

One corner of Shego's mouth began to turn up slyly. "So, Cupcake, I take it there are a few things from your past that you wouldn't want to become common knowledge either, huh?"

Kim's face began to redden.

"Thought so. Nice to know that Little Miss Priss has her secrets just like the rest of us mortals."

Yori added, "And for me as well, Shego-chan. Though I would trust you both with my life, there are certain ancient mystical secrets that should remain hidden from all but a select few."

_As well as feelings of a personal nature reawakened by the discovery of my other-dimensional counterpart. Another pilgrimage to Iwashimizu Shrine may be necessary to purge those memories once our task is complete... _

"Now, let us now prepare."

As Yori assumed her place in the navigation chair, Kim and Shego sat down in the chairs on either side of her as she began her instructions.

"Please now to close your eyes and begin breathing slowly and deeply. Relax yourselves as much as possible, and simply let your minds drift, like gossamer dandelion seeds on warm summer day."

Shego began to twitch uncomfortably at Yori's effusive language. "Hey, ninja girl. I'm a fighter, not a mystic."

Yori gently replied, "Nevertheless, a calm mind and body will be much more conducive to the union of our minds, Shego-chan."

After sensing that this was as calm as Shego was going to get, the young ninja began to gently probe their minds. Thanks to Ron, Kim was by now used to the peculiar feeling, but Shego began to tense up again at the odd sensation. She immediately heard Yori's soothing voice inside her mind.

"_Remain calm, Shego-chan. Let your mind simply float, and let your view be as that of an observer to your own consciousness_."

Shego forced herself to relax, her anxiety decreasing as she grew more comfortable with the feeling of the two other minds in such close proximity.

"_Wow. This is actually pretty trippin'_._ You there, Princess?_"

Kim gently responded, "_Right here, Shego._"

Yori smiled. "_Very good. Once total unity is achieved, it may give you disconcerting feeling at first. Simply remain as calm observer as long as the mental union lasts, not unlike watching a television show."_

"_Just as long as I'm not trapped in a series of TV shows like I was once before, I think I'll survive..."_

All three minds quickly converged, and in the next instant the new triple consciousness was complete. Shego gasped as the sudden flood of memories and experiences burst into her mind like an exploding star.

"_Whoa, you weren't kidding! This is mind-boggling, almost like watching a hundred TV shows all at once. And they're all starring Cupcake and Ninja Girl_."

Kim likewise experienced her own phantasmagoric scene, as events from each of their lives began to flash through their minds, too quickly to focus on even one at a time. If not under the firm control of Yori's own dynamic and well-ordered mind, the torrent of thoughts and memories would have been overwhelming. As it was, Yori's powerful mental abilities were able to limit much of the expected mental spillover between the three while simultaneously allowing her to tap into the crucial knowledge that she needed: Shego's brilliant piloting skills and Kim's awesome comet-granted navigational ability.

Yori also began to help each woman mentally focus on their chosen memory. Kim had chosen an event she knew she could easily and pleasantly recall: the night of the Junior Prom.

Her mind first flashed back to the moment that thousands of giant Lil' Diablo robots of destruction suddenly began shrinking and falling out of the sky, once Drakken's command signal had been shut down. After capturing both Drakken and Shego (and after Rufus had vindictively bit the foot of her evil prom date, Erik the Synthodrone, reducing him to a puddle of goo), she and Ron had returned to the Prom, now gently holding hands with the other.

Bonnie spotted them and sarcastically yelled out, "It finally happened. She's dating that loser! _Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable are dating!"_

But Bonnie's ploy backfired as the new couple received a tremendous cheer of approval from all present. As they began to dance, their cheeks began to brush against the other. Then their eyes locked, and their lips drew slowly closer. Soon they were kissing tenderly, locked in a gentle embrace. She became totally lost in the moment, completely entranced by the memory of their very first kiss. Although there would be much more passionate events in their future, this was the night that it all truly began for them as a couple, and as such was in some ways the most special. It was a night they'd never forget.

On the other hand, Shego was finding it difficult to choose one particular memory to focus on. But one event kept playing in her mind, becoming more and more vivid with each passing moment. And try as she might to resist it, her memory fixated at last on the one seminal event that had set the destiny of her entire life in motion.

She was a child of twelve again, out in the backyard playing with her brothers on a beautiful summer day. She glanced up at the sky, noticing that a point of light had appeared. She stopped, transfixed by the celestial apparition.

"Ooh, pretty comet."

Her brothers all stopped their playing and looked up as well. Herbie, the oldest, began to look concerned. Naturally protective of his siblings since the death of their father, he warned, "It looks like it's headed right for us."

But her younger brother Melvin sneered, "You're out of your mind. If it were, some scientist would have seen it and warned us, ya big lunkhead."

As she continued to stare up at the awesome sight, a feeling of foreboding began to possess her mind. "I think we should all go back inside, just to be safe."

Herbie mumbled back, "Yeah, I think you're right."

But as soon as they walked back into the house, Sheila froze. "The twins! Where are the twins?"

While her brothers checked both the living room and their bedrooms upstairs, she rushed back outside. Frantically looking around, she spotted them playing in the sandbox, blissfully unaware of the approaching danger.

"Wendell, Weldon, get inside! Right now!"

She scooped them up, but not before looking back up into the sky. The comet was much closer by now, and she froze in fear. Hearing her scream, Herbie and Melvin rushed back outside, the fiery ball looming ever larger. They all looked up just as the comet hit.

In later years, they would all recall that they had been extremely frightened by the event, but that they had strangely felt no pain as the object struck them. They regained consciousness after about an hour, and as the sun had just gone down, they all immediately noticed a strange glow about them in the early evening twilight. Herbie appeared bluish, and Melvin was purple. The twins were distinctly reddish, while Sheila glowed in a shade reminiscent of the mint ice cream she had eaten the night before.

Herbie gasped, "Whoa! This is cool, but what are we gonna tell Mom?"

Melvin declared, "I'm not telling her _anything_. I don't want to get in trouble!"

"But it wasn't our fault, you moron! It was an accident!" Suddenly glowing a bit brighter, Herbie shoved Melvin, who flew across the yard as if he were a rag doll. Melvin immediately retaliated, and a slugfest was soon in full swing.

Sheila grabbed them both and angrily pulled them apart. "Would you two knock it off? You're both acting like little kids, for crying out loud!"

She accidentally knocked them both to the ground as each of her hands discharged a bright bolt of green flame.

Herbie marveled at the display. "Wow! What the heck was _that_, Sheila?"

She looked down at her smoking hands and mumbled, "Beats me." She continued with a devilish grin. "But I_ like _it."

Suddenly they all heard a car pulling into the driveway out front. Melvin hissed, "Hey, Mom's home! You guys do what you want to, but I'm hiding!"

Suddenly he began to glow an even brighter shade of violet as he began shrinking in size, quickly running to hide behind a tree.

Sheila frowned, "Something really funny is going on. And I don't mean funny, ha-ha."

Herbie raised his head and struck a pose. "Indeed. I think we've each been given a great gift, the powers of which we should each try to use for the good of our fellow man."

Sheila simply rolled her eyes. "Oh, brother. A little full of yourself maybe, Herbie? Let's not let it go to your head, or else I'll be happy to take you down a notch or two."

As they walked inside, the twins climbed back into their sandbox, blissfully unaware that there were now four of them.

It was a night they'd never forget.

* * *

While each of their individual memories played out within their subconscious minds, the full convergence of their minds was finally complete. The three young women were now totally merged into one entity within Yori's body. And just like Yoronfus the year before, Yokimgo began to speak, her triadic voice eerily rising and falling in pitch.

"We now share necessary piloting and navigational abilities to complete our mission, and are now prepared, Ron-san. You may begin at any time."

Now protected by his spacesuit, Ron strapped himself into his seat in the cargo bay and took a deep breath. "All right, I'm ready. Let's do this!"

James hit the button, and the cargo bay doors slowly began to open, revealing the icy black void of deep space. Ron once again activated his Mystical Monkey Power, encasing the Lotus Blade within a sphere of bright blue mystical energy.

He began to speak gently to the brilliantly glowing saber. "Okay, sword. _Niiiice_ Lotus Blade. Be a good katana now and morph yourself into a badical Black Hole..."

Giving it a mental command, the magical blade first began to shrink in size, finally changing into an inky ball. As he willed the arcane construct out of the bay, it grew increasingly darker until it was blacker than even space itself. Tendrils of blue-white energy occasionally shot out from the newly-configured mystical object, evaporating as quickly as they formed. Wade gazed excitedly at the sight, quickly checking his instruments.

"Hawking radiation detected. It's working, Ron! You've actually created a Black Hole!"

Ron had begun to sweat with the grueling effort, but nevertheless smiled at the news as he gloated to himself, "_Who's the loser now, Bonnie?_"

Out loud he announced through his comm link, "All right, my Monkey Power has the Lotus Blade completely encased, protecting us from its gorchy gravitational effects. I'm now increasing its size and density to the parameters that Sadie and I calculated, and decreasing the field's power on the side facing the asteroid, which should start being attracted by the gravitational pull, right... about... now."

Ever so slightly, the asteroid began to increase its speed as it began to follow behind the Kepler. It was now Drakken's turn to gape with his jaws wide open as the huge ball of rock began to bear down on them.

"All right, Shego. Or Yori. Whatever... You may now gradually begin increasing your speed. You'll need to keep just ahead of the asteroid, but not so far from it that the singularity's pull is weakened."

Yokimgo's strange, otherworldly harmony now echoed throughout the cabin. "Understood, Drew. Now increasing our velocity."

Ever so slowly, she advanced the engine's throttle. Everyone held their breath as the Kepler continued to gather speed, with the gigantic asteroid directly behind it. A minute went by, then another. Out of the front viewscreen, the tiny blue and white orb of the Earth appeared in the distance.

Drakken fearfully asked, "Are we going to miss the planet? We're getting awfully close."

James answered with more than just a little trepidation. "Let's hope so. But only the Kimpossibility Drive is powerful enough to wrench that planetoid out of its collision course with Earth."

Yokimgo again began to intone, "Engines now at maximum thrust."

Fierce tongues of flame spewed of the Kepler's rocket nozzles, burning up their fuel at an incredibly rapid rate.

"Now traveling at point five C and increasing. Standing by to activate Kimpossibility Drive. How're you doing back there, Ronster?"

Ron looked briefly surprised at Yokimgo's use of Shego's nickname for him, but quickly replied, "No problemo so far. The asteroid's following us just like we hoped it would."

"Then it will be my honor to commence hyperlight speed in fifteen seconds. Everyone strap yourselves in, please and thank you."

As everyone rushed to their seats, Yokimgo began the countdown. "10... 9... 8... 7... 6... Now cutting chemical rockets... 3... 2... 1..."

She deftly activated the hyperlight drive, and the Kepler shot forward in a coruscating display of multicolored light.

"Setting new course, 220 Mark 5. Now passing the Earth."

They shot by their home planet at incredible speed, leaving it a million miles behind in a matter of seconds.

"Coming to course 105 Mark 10. How are you doing, Ron-san?"

The exertion of holding onto the Lotus Singularity while pulling an enormous asteroid behind at greater than the speed of light was beginning to take its toll. Sweat now dripping out of every pore on his body, Ron only had time to grunt back, "_Note... Serious... Face..._"

"Just hold on, Ronster. James, how's the ship holding up?"

He quickly replied, "Kimpossibility Drive still optimal. Structural integrity at 97%."

"Spankin.' Now it will be our honor to pass the orbit of Venus."

The planet named for the Roman goddess of love and beauty whizzed by their starboard side as the Kepler shot past it at greater than 700 million miles an hour. But hidden behind Venus, an unpleasant surprise awaited.

"One periodic comet dead ahead. Stand by for emergency course correction, oblique altitude 20 degrees."

Using the ace cheerleader's superior navigational ability to avoid it, Yokimgo adroitly pulled the Kepler into a barrel roll, easily maneuvering around the ball of ice and dust almost before even seeing it.

She offhandedly commented, "That move would have won us the Regional Championship back on Lorwardia."

As everyone exhaled in relief, she announced, "Mercury now in sight. Readjusting course to 105 Mark 10."

The innermost planet of the Solar System grew rapidly in size on their viewscreen, as well as the Sun's huge fiery ball only 36 million miles behind it.

Drakken suddenly warned, "Ron, what's wrong? The asteroid is slipping away from us!"

Ron grunted back, "I know! I know! I almost lost it completely after that barrel roll. A little help here, Rufus?"

Activating his own Mystical Monkey Power, the naked mole rat began to glow bright blue, adding his own energy to his friend's. The asteroid slowed its drift, stopped, then closed back to its optimal distance from the Kepler.

Drakken happily reported, "Asteroid back in range. Whatever you're doing back there, keep it up."

Ron looked down at Rufus with a sigh of relief. "Thanks, little buddy."

Yokimgo announced, "Ron-san, prepare to release asteroid on my signal, please and thank you. This is going to be pretty damn close."

He responded through gritted teeth, "Music to my mystical monkey ears..."

Wade then cautioned, "Dr. Possible, we're getting really close to the Sun. Hull temperature now 1000 degrees and rising."

James tried to remain upbeat. "As long as it remains below 2000 degrees, we'll make it. How much longer?"

The mysterious triad announced, "Just a few more seconds. Stand by..." Yokimgo then began her final countdown. "Five.. four.. three... two... one... _release!_"

With a cry of relief, Ron morphed the Lotus Singularity back into its normal form, releasing the asteroid and allowing it to continue on its course directly into the Sun. As the Kepler raced past the blazing star, Yokimgo pulled the spacecraft into a tight turn, swinging around it while deftly avoiding several huge solar flares. The artificial gravity generators whined in protest at the risky maneuver.

James warned, "Structural integrity dropping rapidly. Now down to 57%."

The unearthly trio of voices tersely responded, "Hold on... now coming to course... 210 Mark 7."

As their flight path gradually straightened out, the planetoid made its final plunge into blinding star. Everyone cheered as the enormous ball of rock disappeared with a terrific flash.

Still breathing heavily, Ron panted, "Let's... not... do that... again... _ever._"

For his own part, Rufus took out a tiny handkerchief and mopped his sweaty brow in relief.

Yokimgo's relieved voice echoed throughout the command deck in pleasant harmony. "Nice work, you two. Now setting course for the final asteroid."

Wade turned to James and breathlessly asked, "So, how close did we actually get to the Sun, Dr. Possible?"

James somberly replied, "Too close, only twelve million miles. We had less than a minute to spare before we would have crashed into the Sun ourselves."

Wade quipped, "Whoa! That would have been a _Sirius_ problem. Good thing that Ron and Yokimgo turned in a _stellar_ performance!"

Huge groans were heard throughout the Kepler as everyone threw the closest thing they could at him.

Wade grinned back, dodging the various and sundry objects. "Hey, I thought that was pretty funny myself!"

Many hours later, they were on final approach to the last and largest of the asteroids. Having dissolved their mystical trinity, each woman had been reflecting on her own unique experience. For her part, Kim was still basking in the pleasant afterglow of her chosen memory, while Shego had become darkly introspective.

"Lighten up, Shego. I remember all too well when I got hit by a similar comet, but everything eventually turned out all right, and for the both of us, too. Right?"

Shego took a moment before answering. "Yes, it did, but you were a lot older when that happened to you. I was just twelve at the time, remember? A little tougher to deal with something so dramatic, especially at that tender age, don't cha think?"

Kim relented, "How could I forget, having just vividly experienced your own memory?"

This brought a trace of a smile to Shego's lips. "So you can relate to the whole event as well, including the pain?"

"You mean with how you got your powers _and_ dealing with your brothers afterword? Sure, no big. And as I've said before, I've got my _own_ brothers that I've had to deal with, so it's not all that different between the two of us."

Realizing she was beginning to tread on some rather delicate issues, Kim carefully continued. "So how are you handling the memory that _I_ chose?"

Her cousin responded with a mere shrug. "Yeah, about that. It was almost like a virtual-reality romance novel, if you must know. But in comparison, I still think Drew's the better kisser. Oh, and thanks by the way for starting that memory when you did. If you had begun it any earlier, I would now be remembering beating myself up through _your_ point of view. That was one of our biggest knock-down drag-out battles ever, if you remember."

"Yes, I _do _remember. And believe me, I'm very glad that's all in the past."

"Likewise. But still, that whole memory of you and Ron together has left a rather odd taste in my mouth..."

Shego arose and proceeded into the adjoining engine compartment, where Drew and the others were busy making their final adjustments to the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer. Without a word, she grabbed him and planted nearly the most passionate kiss she had ever given onto his very surprised lips. Finally releasing him after nearly a minute, he collapsed to the floor in a most pleasant heap. Wiping her lips, she returned to the command deck.

"There. _Much_ better. So, Kimmie, you remember much of anything else during our crazy mind meld?"

"Not much, really. Just a few brief fleeting impressions, that's all..."

She leaned over and whispered in her ear, "_Pegasister..._"

With a very annoyed look, Shego instantly fired up her plasma.

Kim slyly added in a hushed voice, "But not to worry, Shego, your secret is safe with me. If you remember, I had my cutesy Cuddle Buddies, too."

Shego slowly powered down as she exhaled with a deep sigh, "Yeah, I figured you'd eventually discover that I'm a 'My Little Horsey' fan sooner or later. And between Ron and Yori's mind-reading skills, it's becoming impossible to keep _any _secrets from you anymore..."

* * *

The last asteroid filled the entire viewscreen with its awesome presence.

James somberly began, "Well, ladies and gentlemen, there it is. Lorwardia's last and final challenge to the Earth, asteroid 128 Nemesis, named for the goddess of retribution in Greek mythology. And it's nearly 188 kilometers or 117 miles wide, depending on your choice of measurement."

Kim growled, "Looks like WarRaptor has one spankin' sense of irony. But let's just see if we can't turn the tables on him and his cronies, once and for all..."

_**TBC...**_


	33. Operation Cue Ball

_Welcome back after a particularly long hiatus to this, the penultimate chapter to my sprawling space opera. This chapter now holds my personal record for the most revisions and rewrites ever, as I prevaricated over two possible endings: one which would have easily led into the next sequel but would have turned out to be somewhat anticlimactic, or the one I ended up writing. So my thanks to levi2000a1 for his sage advice: go with the one where they win._

_And my deep thanks as always to my ever faithful and ever patient reviewers: Katsumara, levi2000a1, Tito-Mosquito, zzzoo99, Eddy13, Sentinel 103, rick455, Jimmy1201, pbow, Bookworm Gal, CajunBear73, Linzerj, Beckman, Oreochema, whitem, and a few guests, as well as all who voted for this story in the Fannies. I am truly humbled by the many awards it won, and I've worked extra hard to make this next chapter a real zinger._

_So pull up a comfy chair, your favorite beverage and snack, and jump right in. I trust that it's been worth the wait. _

* * *

Now rested from his own ordeal, Ron had joined Kim on the command deck. Together they stared through the forward viewport at the asteroid Nemesis, its baleful glow casting an eerie light into the compartment. But she refused to be intimidated by the deadly object, and smiled instead as she reached over to gently squeeze Ron's hand.

"What you just did was totally amazing, Ron. I knew that your Mystical Monkey Powers were pretty special, but that was just incredible."

Ron began to blush slightly as he returned her compliment. "Thanks, Kim. And what you three just did was pretty coolio, too. Yokimgo made for one pretty badical space pilot."

Shego chimed in, "Yeah, and that made for one weird mental combo, too. But there's one thing I'm curious about, Kim. We both can vividly recall each other's focused memory, but what about Yori? I don't recall anything similar from her."

Kim's curiosity was also piqued. "Yeah, you're right. And I thought that we would have experienced a total recall of each other's memories. So, Yori, care to spill?"

Yori benignly smiled back at the pair. "This is true, but only to a certain point. As gifted as you both are in many ways, neither of you are adepts, skillfully trained in the mental arts. Nor have you been exposed to the Mystical Monkey Power as Ron-san and Rufus-san have been."

"You mean what you said about us sharing our memories wasn't true after all?"

Yori continued to gently smile back at them. "Not at all, Kim-chan. The memories are there, but they are locked away safely until which time you consciously choose to recall them, not unlike opening a book."

"Or maybe like opening a computer file?"

She nodded back. "An even more accurate analogy. For I believe you would need the help of a mental adept such as myself to unlock those memories."

"I get it, like needing a password first in order to read them."

"Colloquially stated, but essentially correct, Kim-chan."

Shego gave her a curious grin of her own. "So then, what about _your_ memories, Ninja-girl?"

Yori's smile widened as she offered a roundabout reply. "There are naturally many mystical secrets of the Masters which must remain hidden, of course."

Shego replied testily, "So what it comes right down to is that you just grabbed the abilities you needed from each of us to pilot the Kepler at light speed through the inner Solar System, leaving us with just a bunch of vague memories about each other?"

Yori calmly nodded.

Realizing that her own memories were now more or less secure, Shego began to relax. "Okay, I can live with that."

After a few moments, Shego began to grin again. "But you didn't mention any of your own_ personal_ secrets, only those of your mystical cohorts. So whatever you're keeping to yourself, it must have been pretty juicy then, huh?"

Yori's only reaction was a slight blush and an even slighter nod. "Let us just say that Yamanouchi contains a great many mysteries."

Kim purred, "And that obviously goes for its Headmistress as well."

Shego leaned over and whispered in Kim's ear, "Something to do with the Ronster, I'll bet."

"Undoubtedly," Kim whispered back with a grin.

James then strode onto the deck and declared, "Well, good news, everyone, it looks like we're ready for our first test. Wade and Drew are making the final systems adjustments in order to harmonize the PDVI with our own dimension, since there's no telling how it would react otherwise."

But a commotion suddenly was heard from the engine room as a very vocal disagreement erupted between Wade and Dr. Drakken.

"For the last time, Drakken, that won't work! You're not taking the quantum flux into account, and you're totally ignoring the subatomic relationship of gravitons between the two dimensions!"

The ex-mad scientist wildly gesticulated at the teen genius as he whined back, "But that's what I've been trying to tell you, that I _am _taking those factors into account! And would you mind calling me Dr. Lipsky, or at least Drew? 'Drakken' seems so old hat by now."

Wade sighed, "Sorry, but some old habits kinda die hard. Just don't expect me to start calling you the Great Blue."

Drew chuckled. "Indeed. I get enough of that from Warmonga, thank you very much."

James wagged his head as he observed, "Better make that _just about_ ready, Kimmie-cub. It seems our experts are still quibbling over a few issues."

Drew continued, "And I know I'm right, because I wrote everything down on these 3 by 5 cards."

Shego wasted no time in marching into the engine compartment. "Drew, you've got to be kidding. Not those index cards _again_?"

He gave her a chagrined look. "Well, Shego, it _does_ help me to focus and consider the problem in a linear fashion, from point to point as it were."

"Just so long as you don't drop them like you did before and accidentally push the wrong buttons in the wrong order and send us all back to that other stinkin' universe, okay?"

"Not if_ I_ can help it," Wade added with a growl. He made one final adjustment and announced, "Well, that should do it then. We're now ready for our first test. Anything you'd like to add, _Drew_?"

Drakken gave a grunt before replying. "Just make sure that the TV Line Out wire isn't connected to the targeting reticule. That's what sent us all on that little trip into the Wild World of TV Broadcasting the last time, if you all remember."

James chuckled. "How could I forget? Shego as the Berg Queen and you as one of her drones from that _Space Passage_ episode was certainly one of my more interesting experiences of the past few years."

Wade chuckled, "Yeah, I'm just glad that I was able to rescue you all before you became permanently trapped there."

Drakken absentmindedly rubbed the arm that had been injured during that event. "Yes, that experience with Mr. Sit-Down is certainly not one I'd like to repeat."

"All right, then. Indicator lights on the interface panel all show green. Sadie, how do your systems read?

The computer answered, "The Kimpossibility Drive is operating within normal parameters. Full power is available at your command."

James replied, "That's wonderful, but for this first test, let's just keep the power levels down to 10%, just to play it safe. We'll start by deploying the Kinematic Continuum Disruptor."

As he hit the switch, the cargo bay doors opened and the huge dish emerged. A few seconds later it locked into place with a satisfying clunk.

"Cross your fingers everyone, here we go…"

He pushed the red firing button, and a bright green ray shot out of the disruptor. A large portal appeared, focused one hundred feet in front of the Kepler.

As everyone held their breath, James added hopefully, "Well, so far so good…"

But no sooner had he said that than things started to go wrong.

Wade warned, "Power systems fluctuating!"

Drakken growled, "And the dimensional nodes are depolarizing as well. Portal collapsing!"

With a sad-sounding whine, the portal seemed to fold in on itself, and the disruptor went into automatic shutdown mode.

Kim queried, "Whoa, what just happened?"

Wade grumbled, "Probably a problem with the graviton concentration, just like I was afraid might happen."

Drakken quickly corrected him, "No, it looks like a problem with the vortex inducer's emitter nodes. Just a moment and I'll check."

He opened a diagnostic program. After a few moments, a sour look revealed that his suspicions had just been confirmed.

"Yes, that's the problem all right. When we readjusted the subatomic matrix of the emitter nodes to correspond with our own universe's frequency, we failed to take into account that significant power leakage might occur."

Kim snickered, "Sorry, but even after years of dealing with Wade, I still don't speak geek very well. In English now, please and thank you?"

He continued, "Well, imagine a water hose with its nozzle correctly configured for a tight, focused spray. Now imagine that the nozzle _itself_ isn't seated properly on the end of the hose, resulting in water leakage and ultimately lower pressure."

James took a look at the readout himself just to make sure. "I have to agree with Drew, that's exactly what it looks like to me as well. The frequencies aren't quite focused enough, resulting in some serious harmonic distortion."

Ron turned and gave Wade a smug look. "Harmonic distortion? Well, Mr. Super Genius, maybe I wasn't that far off then when I asked you what key the universe is in."

James saw Ron's look and responded with a condescending one of his own. "But you're forgetting that sound waves can't travel through the vacuum of space, Ronald."

Ron winced. "Ooh, yeah. Another one of Mr. Barkin's science quiz questions I missed."

Wade then recalled a recent lecture Dr. Chen had given at the Middleton Planetarium. "That may technically be true, but a few years ago the Chandra X-ray Observatory discovered ripples within the hot gas that fills the Perseus galaxy cluster, over 250 million light years away from Earth. Those ripples appear to be sound waves emanating from a supermassive black hole at the center of the cluster, and would register as a B-flat if we could only hear them. But it's really, _really_ low. In point of fact, it's a B-flat note about 57 octaves below a piano's middle C, and the deepest note ever detected. It's almost like a cosmic fog horn warning us about the dangers of getting too close to it."

Ron snickered, "Wow. Who knew black holes could sing?"

Kim's jaw dropped as everything suddenly fell together in her mind. "Ron, I think you actually might be on to something."

Her husband, still a bit slow on the uptake despite his amazing powers, responded with a perplexed, "Huh? Really?"

Kim activated the ship's computer. "Sadie, please check the frequency of the Kimpossibility Drive, and compare to the black holes that the Kepler created both in our universe as well as the alternate dimension we just came from. Are they all the same, especially regarding their subatomic frequencies?"

Relays began clicking as Sadie made the requested calculations. "Negative, Kim. The Kimpossibility Drive and each black hole created in this universe have a frequency corresponding to B-flat. However, the black holes created in the alternate universe all are exactly one whole step higher."

Ron's eyes widened at the revelation. "You mean the _alternate_ universe is in the key of C?"

"That's correct, Ron."

"Oh, man! That means any band competitions that we might hold there are going to be in big trouble. It's hard enough to get them to play in tune in the first place, and now we find out they'll need to be tuned up into a totally different key? Just how sick and wrong is _that_?"

Kim had to giggle at Ron's wild leap of imagination. "Uh, good point, Ron."

But her smile immediately faded as she recalled the fate of the alternate Earth. "But since that Earth was destroyed, I don't think we're going to have to worry too much about interdimensional competitions of _any_ kind."

She turned to her father. "So getting back to our current problem, the biggest difference between the two universes are their atomic frequencies. Otherwise, they're extremely similar, right?"

"Yes, that seems to be the size of it."

"Okay then, if our _own_ universe's frequency doesn't work, how about changing the PDVI back to its original frequencies?"

James, Wade and Drakken instantly looked like they'd like to throttle Kim within an inch of her life.

"Kimmie-cub, do you have any idea of what you're asking? It's taken us all an incredible amount of time and effort just to reconfigure the device as it is!"

Kim thought for a moment, then suggested, "Well, how about changing just the dimensional nodes back to their original frequency? If Drakken's analogy holds true, then the really critical parts of the vortex inducer might work just the way we need them to."

The trio of scientists huddled together, conferring over Kim's idea. After a mutual nod of agreement, James turned back to his daughter.

"Kim, we're all in agreement that your theory is sound, and we could have that completed within a few hours. But this will be our absolutely last chance. If it doesn't work, there won't be any time left to try anything else."

While Kim grimly considered her father's pronouncement, Drakken announced, "I don't mean to be a wet blanket, but there's another potential problem."

As everyone gave a huge groan, Drakken cautiously added, "Well, maybe not a problem actually, but perhaps maybe a consideration?"

Kim quickly answered, "Well then, spill. We're all ears."

"First off, we're in unexplored territory here. We suspect that the Kinematic Continuum Disruptor actually sends anything caught in its energy field to another location in our universe, but not necessarily one in our own time frame. I've studied the report on Kimberly Ann's experience with the original device, which managed to pull a dinosaur out of Earth's past and into the present. So in essence, it's a kind of time portal. But we've also seen how the combination of all these devices has sent the Kepler on several wild rides through space, time _and _dimension."

Shego's patience for Drew's geek speak was rapidly dwindling. "Okay, now you're sounding just like the intro to a Twilight Zone episode. Can you _please_ get to the point?"

"My point is, after our adjustments are finally complete, the portal we open up might send that asteroid headlong into that alternate dimension. Since these devices that have clearly demonstrated the ability to transport objects between space, time _and_ universes, we have to carefully consider exactly when and where Nemesis will end up. And with the enormous power of the Kimpossibility Drive, that could potentially be anywhere or anytime."

Kim surmised, "But you're pretty sure we'd be sending it somewhere into the other universe, right?"

"Based on all the evidence we've seen, that's extremely likely."

Kim pondered this for several moments before continuing. "Well then, I've got a spankin' idea about exactly where I'd like to send it. While you and my father reconfigure the dimensional nodes, Wade and I are going to work on some ferocious calculations with Sadie's help."

Wade queried, "What do you have in mind, Kim?"

"If Warmonga will pardon my idiom, we may be able to kill two birds with one stone."

Drakken cautioned, "That's wonderful, Kimberly Ann, but we'll all have to hurry. We only have a few hours left before Nemesis makes any of our plans a moot point. And a deadly one at that."

As James and Drakken began the final reconfiguration, Kim, Wade and Sadie started work on their own calculations.

Kim began, "All right, Sadie. Based on your readings taken in the alternate dimension, what are the chances that the physical location of any given star or planet is going to be the same in both universes?"

"Approximately 92.4796 percent."

"How about locating a particular planet, Lorwardia to be exact?"

"With careful analysis of my star records, combined with your comet-granted ability to instantly determine the distance between stars and planets, that possibility increases to 98.9254 percent."

"So if I can determine the location of Lorwardia approximately two months ago in our universe, its spatial coordinates should match that of the alternate universe's Lorwardia fairly closely."

"Correct."

"Now for the million-dollar question, Sadie. Taking into consideration our recent dimensional travels, can we open a portal to a particular location there, specifically, right next to the Lorwardian homeworld?"

After a few more seconds of computation, she had the answer. "Affirmative."

A chill went up Shego's spine. "Whoa, Kim, you're not going to..."

"Yes, Shego. If Ron can play Asteroids, I'm going to play a round of interdimensional billiards, with Nemesis as the cue ball and Zorpox's Lorwardia as the target."

Aghast at Kim's plan, Shego cautiously replied, "Princess, you sound like you're going to do exactly what you tried to prevent _me_ from doing last year. I had wanted to permanently make sure they'd never bother us or anyone else ever again, but you convinced me that utterly destroying Lorwardia wasn't the answer. And up to now I thought you were much too goody-two-shoes to destroy an entire planet along with virtually all its inhabitants. Getting a little bloodthirsty in your old age, aren't we?"

Kim instantly flashed back to her final exam, and its last question concerning the Nuremberg trials and its four charges. Clearly Zorpox had broken every one of them: conspiracy to commit a crime against peace, planning and waging a war of aggression, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. But could she now become judge, jury and executioner of this alternate Lorwardia and its insanely evil leader? And how would history judge her action?

"Shego, this really _is _so the drama. And I'm well aware that I'd be setting quite a precedent by taking out an entire planet."

Kim returned Shego's stern look with a grim one of her own. "But that was before Zorpox chose to wipe out the alternate Earth and everyone on it. And now he's no doubt planning the conquest of the entire galaxy with the full might of Lorwardia's star fleet to back him up, and there's virtually no one left to stop him. We've got to prevent that, and this is the best way to do it. Besides, Ron and I promised we'd help his counterpart if we could. It's not a decision I take lightly, but if it works, the other universe will at least have a chance to eventually recover."

She paused for effect. "Unless someone has a better idea? If you do, let's hear it. Because our time's just about up."

Kim scanned the faces of her friends and family, looking at each one in turn. But as she looked at Yori, she stopped, the ninja's normally calm features now furrowed in deep thought. Kim didn't need any mind-reading skills to discern what must now be going through the young Japanese woman's mind.

Kim continued softly, "Yori, I know that my people were once at war with yours, and that we used a terrifying weapon to try and end it. But many innocent civilians died because of that, and there are those who argue the wisdom of those two nuclear attacks to this day. And I'm sure that the parallels between then and now haven't escaped your notice."

Yori took a deep breath to center herself before responding. "There is indeed truth and wisdom in what you say, Kim-chan. But there is another truth to consider. Sixty years ago, our civilian population would have been forced, willingly or not, into defending our homeland in a futile effort to repel an invasion against a people whom our military leaders had foolishly attacked in the first place, and without honor. The argument is sound that countless more lives would have perished on both sides before it was all over, but no matter how valiantly we fought, the sad truth is that the fate of our nation had already been decided long before. We would have undoubtedly fought with honor, but only to defend the dishonorable, if not our very lives. Ultimately that would have caused even more suffering, perhaps risking our culture if not our very existence, and all for naught. Kim-chan, there is no honor in futility."

The cabin was silent as they each pondered her words. But Yamanouchi's headmistress was not yet finished, and her face hardened as she continued.

"But there are different circumstances at play here. Until a year ago, Lorwardia's society was geared completely toward total war and galactic domination. All are warriors from youth to adult, and no difference is made between male and female in this regard. And correct me if I am wrong, Shego-chan, but the word 'civilian' does not exist in the Lorwardian language."

Shego quickly agreed. "She's right, Kim. On Lorwardia, there's no such thing as an innocent bystander. Everything in their society was geared for total war. Up until last year, that is."

She then turned to Yori with a grin. "I'm impressed. You know your languages pretty well for just a ninja-girl."

Yori ignored Shego's veiled dig as she pressed on. "Kim-chan, what you have been able to accomplish in our own universe regarding Lorwardia has been no less than miraculous. But in this alternate universe, through the treachery of Zorpox, the entire Earth has perished because of them. And they are not a nearly defeated enemy tottering on the brink of capitulation, but a strong, arrogant and implacable foe. If we have any way to stop them, we must use it."

A fire fiercely smoldered behind her now hooded eyes. "And there is a further consideration. Because of Zorpox, the spirits of two reluctant warriors remain trapped there in limbo between reality and eternity. The spirits of my dimensional counterpart, and that of..."

Her face softened as she gently spoke his name. "Ron-san..."

She took in a ragged breath. "They must be freed from the benign prison of their existence. And the evil one responsible must be stopped before he can launch his intergalactic war of conquest. Lives in numbers beyond our comprehension now depend on your next action."

Ron added, "Or your lack of one. And I did promise my doppelgangeroonie that we'd do whatever we could, so technically this isn't a payback sitch."

Yori nodded. "Yes. This act would not be one of retribution nor revenge, but of justice, and the prevention of galactic enslavement by a madman. Or mad _monkey_, if you prefer."

A slight grin appeared on her face. "No offense intended, Ron-san."

He smiled back, "None taken, Yori-girl. And I for one would be very happy to throw a mystical monkey wrench into his plans." He surmised, "But instead, what if we took the Kepler back to the alternate Lorwardia and tried to defeat Zorpox just like we did last year? He certainly wouldn't be expecting Yoronfus, not to mention all of Team Possible magically returning from the dead."

Wade immediately gave a negative shake of his head. "That would be incredibly risky. There's still a lot we don't understand about how the sabotaged Kimpossibility Drive transported you into that alternate universe in the first place, let alone got you back home in one piece. If something went wrong, you could be trapped there forever."

Shego added, "Not only that, but even if we did manage to take out Zorpox, you've still got a fully armed Lorwardia just itching for galactic conquest, and with no Earth or anyone else to stop them. As powerful as our team is, we can't singlehandedly go on a full-fledged war against virtually the whole planet. And even if we _did _win somehow, we can't stay there permanently like some kind of interdimensional police force. We've got our own universe to worry about. So I'm beginning to think Kimmie's idea makes the most sense."

Wade then offered up his own thought. "How about if we simply waited? With Lorwardia's help, maybe we could build a fleet of starships, equip them with transdimensional transport capability, then totally recapture the other dimension's Lorwardia."

Ron quickly disagreed. "Yeah, but I know Zorpox well enough to realize that not only would he come up with that idea first, but he'd also stop at nothing in building a wrongsick space armada of his own and start invading any dimensions within reach. And with the total resources of Lorwardia at his beck and call, he'd easily beat us to the punch."

A chill went up the Monkey Master's spine as a terrible thought entered his mind. "And if he were somehow able to recapture my counterpart's spirit, he would gain personal knowledge of _our_ universe, and no doubt his first target would be..."

He swallowed hard. "Us."

Kim shivered at the thought. "So not only is justice the sitch, but ultimately the need to launch a preemptive strike for the protection of our _own_ universe."

Wade cautioned, "But wouldn't Zorpox be expecting an attack like you're planning? He's awfully intelligent, and we've already learned the dangers of underestimating him."

"Yes, but we're also assuming he's not aware of our own existence or abilities, at least not yet."

Shego added, "And I somehow get the feeling that our mysterious alien benefactor would like us to keep it that way."

Kim recalled Shego's cryptic note. "You mean our enigmatic angel of mercy, Phred?"

"Exactly. And I also have a sneaking suspicion that he and his kind wouldn't appreciate any interdimensional armadas, no matter what the source."

Rufus flashed an enigmatic smile of his own before vigorously giving a positive shake of his tiny head. "_Uh-huh! Uh-huh!_"

Walking back in from the engine room, James quickly agreed. "Yes, just like what happened in the Season Four cliffhanger of _Space Passage_."

Drakken grimaced. "Uh, James? Try Season Five."

James cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I'm almost positive that it was Season Four."

The weary scientist slowly shook his head back and forth. "Sadly, I'm absolutely sure. That was one of the last TV episodes I got trapped in by the very device we're now trying to fix."

Kim tried to get the discussion back on track. "Then it's settled. We proceed with Operation Cue Ball as soon as we're ready."

Ron flashed a devilish grin. "I'd sure love to see the look on Zorpox's face when Nemesis suddenly appears in the skies over Lorwardia."

Shego snarked, "Well, since he's your alter-ego, just make a face like you have in the past when faced with something really scary, like a room full of monkeys or a wall crawling with hundreds of bugs."

He experimented in the mirror with a few looks of unbridled terror, then nodded in approval. "Yeah, something like that..."

* * *

Two hours later, Kim and Wade were finishing up their complex spatial calculations just as James and Drakken completed their recalibration of the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer. Shego had occupied herself by filing her claws, while Ron had decided to while away the time by playing the latest permutation of Zombie Mayhem on his eyePad.

Rufus humorously thought to himself, "_Well, I guess each of us has their own way of relaxing when the stress is on_…"

But for her own part, Yori appeared to be in a calm, meditative state, her focus on something much more personal. At the same moment, a young man on Earth was gazing up at the sky, the bright point of light that was Nemesis shining brightly in the pre-dawn sky. But his thoughts were likewise on something more personal. Or more accurately, on some_one_.

He breathed out a single name.

"_Yori_..."

He was surprised when he immediately received a response.

"_I am here, Hiro-san_."

His breath caught in his throat as he smiled. "_Then you are well, Yori-chan? And all of your companions_?"

"_Yes, my Hiro. All are well, and we have but one devil left to destroy before we may declare the Earth safe from harm_."

"_But what of your terrible vision? Will it yet come to pass_?"

Yori's mind responded with curious uncertainty. "_I... I do not believe so. However, it may have already_."

Hirotaka raised one questioning eyebrow. "_But how can that be? I am still here, and the Earth still exists, does it not_?"

Yori smiled gently at his confusion. "_I will try to explain, my Hiro-san. My vision may have been of another universe in which my terrifying vision was sadly fulfilled. But that very universe may have given us the key to our own salvation. Either way, it shall all be over shortly. But I have faith that the outcome will be pleasing to us all. I shall see you soon, my Hiro..._"

As her betrothed faded from her mind, she smiled inwardly, thankful that she had been able to shield her own very intimate and personal memories of Hirotaka from Kim and Shego.

She purred to herself, "Let them believe what they wish about my feelings for Ron-san. I am deeply blessed for the bond of honor I continue share with him, but I am _supremely_ content with what I now share with Hirotaka..."

* * *

Kim smiled as Wade finished programming the coordinates of the alternate Lorwardia into the vortex inducer's targeting reticule. As he did so, Kim mumbled something to herself.

"Nemesis. I'm sure that WarRaptor didn't choose that name by accident."

Ron picked up on her comment. "Oh, I'm sure of that, KP. Speaking of the devil, do you think he or any of his cronies survived the crash after their battlecruiser plowed into Mars?"

"Well, if they did, it could have only been a last minute escape via an escape pod. Which means once we're done here, we've got a little villain retrieval to do, unless we want to let Warmonga have that honor, which is only fair since she's the ultimate authority as their Empress. And even though we probably should have some say in their punishment since they were the renegades who attacked us, their punishment for treason will be far greater than anything we could come up with, if I know Warmonga at all."

Ron shuddered at the thought. "Yeah, I think that empty space on her trophy wall will be filled with a few new additions real soon."

"I wouldn't doubt it. Well, let's see how our mad scientists are doing with their reconfig."

Ron gave her a curious look. "Mad? Maybe a little angry and more than just a little stressed, but I wouldn't say _mad_, KP."

With a gentle roll of her eyes, she replied, "You know what I mean, Ron."

As they strode into the engine room, Kim queried, "So how goes it, Dad?"

"Coming right along Kim. We're nearly done with the adjustments, and just about ready for our next test."

Drakken however was still fumbling with his index cards, which now seemed incomplete. "Hmm. Attach the green wire or the red wire? And what do I do with this black one?"

Rufus angrily chattered something unintelligible and jumped through the access panel. A bright light from his tiny arc welder flashed from within. A few seconds later, his head popped back out. "Okay! Hit it!"

James hit the firing button, and a brilliant green ray once again shot out of the Kinematic Continuum Disruptor. One hundred feet in front of the Kepler, a perfectly round portal appeared, blazingly bright against the darkness of space around it. Everyone held their breath as they expectantly awaited James' announcement of success or failure.

After nearly a minute, he cheerfully reported, "The portal seems perfectly stable. All systems continue to read normal. Looks like we've done it, Drew!"

Everyone immediately cheered, but James quickly reminded them, "But now comes the acid test. Sadie, please reset controls for full power, and configure the aperture for 110 miles. That should be more than enough to swallow our Nemesis."

Wade added, "And Kim's coordinates for the alternate universe's Lorwardia have also been fed into the targeting system. We're set to go."

Shego announced, "And not a moment too soon. Look."

Earth had appeared in the distance, and they were now rushing toward it at incredible speed.

"Sadie, time to Earth impact?"

The computer calmly responded, "Fifty-eight minutes and counting, Kim."

Her eyes narrowed in determination. "Then this is it, people. The last asteroid, and our last opportunity to take it out. No second chances."

Kim breathed a silent prayer as Yori intoned, "Then _gokouun o inorimasu_ to Earth, and to us all."

Ron mumbled, "I second that thought, Yori-Girl."

"All right, Shego. Bring us about, 100 miles directly in front of Nemesis."

Shego complied, deftly swinging the Kepler around until the ship was facing the huge asteroid.

Kim gave her father a hopeful look. "All right, Dad. We're ready. Hit the switch."

James once again hit the firing button. But with the full power of the Kimpossibility Drive now at his command, the beam that shot out of the disruptor was blindingly white. A green-tinged portal instantly formed, and everyone looked on in awe as it quickly expanded to its full circumference.

"All right, Kimmie-cub. Transdimensional portal now at 110 miles. All systems seem..."

But James halted as a strange whine suddenly began to emanate from the Kimpossibility Drive.

Ron whimpered, "Uh, what's that sound, KP?"

Kim quickly asked, "Sadie, status, please and thank you?"

The computer calmly responded, "All systems are now approaching overload. A cascade event is now in progress."

Shego slammed her fist down. "Damn, not again! Just like what happened right before we got sucked into that alternate universe the first time! But how?"

Wade guessed, "I don't know, maybe some kind of fail-safe program left over from WarRaptor's original sabotage?"

"Well, shut it off!"

Sadie warned, "No longer possible, as the Kimpossibility Drive has gone critical. I estimate two minutes before implosion."

Kim griped, "Remind me to have Dad install an Emergency Off Switch in the next Kepler. Okay, Sadie, set the disruptor on automatic. And everyone into the escape pod, quick!"

Sadie interrupted, "Kim, all automatic controls went off line at the same time as the cascade event began. The disruptor must be targeted manually."

Kim huffed, "Well isn't that just great... Okay, everybody, I'll stay behind to target Nemesis while the rest of you get to safety."

Ron warned, "But Kim! You'll be trapped in the other universe!"

"No, I'll eject right before the asteroid gets sucked through the portal. No big."

He smirked back, "Without a spacesuit? That's a_ big _big, Kim. You wouldn't last fifteen seconds in the hard vacuum of space! So I'm staying. My Mystical Monkey Power can protect us both."

"But Ron..."

He adamantly ordered, "No time to argue, Kim. I'm not leaving you. If we both get sucked into that gorchy alternate universe again, then so be it. But I'm staying, and that's final. Come what may, I've got your back, just like I've always promised."

Smiling, Kim reached out to touch the face of her husband and protector. "Thanks, Ron. That means a lot to me to hear you say that."

By now everyone else had scrambled into the escape pod, James offering his farewell.

"Then good luck, you two. And please bring my Kimmie-cub back in one piece, Ronald?"

The young blond shot him a quick salute. "Yes sir, I promise."

As he slammed the hatch shut, Shego launched the pod, quickly setting a course and speed taking them as far away from the Kepler as fast as possible.

Drakken queried, "Uh, Shego? Won't we get sucked into the vortex as well? Its aperature is set at over 100 miles, you know. And once the Kepler goes..."

She tersely shot back, "Trying to fly here, Drew. Let's all hope I can get us out of the way quick enough. And I hope the Ronster's mystical force field will be strong enough to protect them both too."

Yori nodded politely. "Yes, Ron-san's considerable powers should be more than enough to protect him and Kim-chan."

"Yeah, but will they avoid getting sucked into the next dimension? That's what really worries me."

Wade replied cautiously, "Well, I guess we'll be finding that out in just a few more seconds."

A light on the panel indicated an incoming message. The image of Kim appeared, now at the controls of the Kepler.

"Shego? It's Kim. Sadie believes that the Kepler will implode rather than blow apart, which is real good news, for you at least."

"Thanks Kim. Let's just hope it takes Nemesis right along with it."

Kim kept the targeting reticule zeroed in on the massive asteroid. "You said it, Shego. Contact with Nemesis in fifteen seconds."

As everyone looked on in breathless anticipation, Wade continued to monitor his instruments. "Whoa! This is incredible! All readings are totally off the scale!"

The shimmering surface of the portal began to clear, revealing the image of a huge, dusty red planet within.

Wade gushed, "That looks like Lorwardia to me. Kim, your coordinates were right on the mark!"

James cautiously asked, "Yes, but is that our Lorwardia, or Zorpox's?"

Drakken answered in relief, "It's definitely the alternate Lorwardia. Our universe's Lorwardia now has a green belt extending down from the poles, thanks to my terraforming efforts. This planet is pure red."

As the final seconds ticked down, the Kepler and the portal began to glow ever brighter, their luminosity increasing until they were too painful to look at. Now swirling in a dazzling display of prismatic colors, chromatic discharges of lightning began to shoot out from the portal, enveloping both the asteroid and the spacecraft and swiftly drawing them into its gaping maw. Then in the blink of an eye, both Nemesis and the Kepler disappeared, the portal rapidly closing in on itself until it too vanished, leaving nothing behind but the silent emptiness of space.

For a moment, everyone held their breath, hardly daring to believe what they had just witnessed.

James quietly asked, "Did they make it? Or are they gone... again?"

Rufus let out a tiny plaintive moan, as everyone continued to look on in stunned silence, caught between desperate hope and the despair of possibly having lost Kim and Ron once again.

Suddenly, a tiny blue speck appeared. Shego quickly pointed at it and gasped, "No, look!"

The blue speck slowly increased in size as it approached, visible now as a glowing sphere of mystical energy. Within the sphere, the smiling forms of Kim and Ron could now be clearly seen.

"It's them! They made it!"

A huge cheer erupted from the escape pod's occupants. And within her mind, Yori felt Ron's warm, familiar presence, followed by his soothing voice.

"_We're both okay, Yori. We made it out just in time. I blew the Kepler's escape hatch, and explosive decompression took care of the rest_."

Yori breathed a deep sigh of blessed relief. "_That is excellent news, Ron-san. I bid you both my deepest felicitations on having completed your difficult task. Now that the Earth is finally safe, let us now hope that Kim-chan's aim was true, and that our counterparts in the other dimension may now enter their eternal rest..."_

* * *

At that very moment in the alternate universe, Emperor Zorpox was delivering a speech worldwide to the entire planet of Lorwardia, accompanied by the dramatic chords of Bach's Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor.

"Greetings, my industrious minions! The time we have waited for so long has finally arrived. Your exalted Emperor is, hmm, _pleased_ at the progress you have all made in quickly expanding our powerful battle fleet over the past two months. Preparations are now complete, and we are now ready to launch our... our _latest _war of glorious conquest! And with the recent destruction of the Earth, the last obstacle to our subjugation of the entire galaxy has finally been removed. Our powerful space armada will be ready for launch within the hour on its final magnificent campaign of ultimate triumph! All hail Lorwardia! _Ah booyah-ha-ha-hah!_"

With a smart salute, the entire population rose to their feet as one and declared in mighty unison, "All hail Zorpox!"

Zorpox turned and arrogantly strode down the dais, followed closely by his ostentatious honor guard and now accompanied by the blaring of a mighty military band. Rubbing his hands together in evil glee, he spoke to his second in command.

"Prepare my command ship for immediate launch, WarFalcon! Nothing can possibly stop us now!"

But a hush abruptly fell over the crowd as everyone suddenly looked up. Without warning, the skies suddenly darkened as a huge shadow appeared over the planet's capital city. Directly above them, a massive asteroid had materialized seemingly out of nowhere, quickly blotting out the entire sun as it made its final terrifying plunge through Lorwardia's dusty atmosphere.

Zorpox looked up and gasped, realizing in his last moments of life that somewhere, someone had actually outsmarted him.

"Oh, snap. Now who could have possibly..."

But before he could finish, Nemesis impacted the planet at incredible speed, not more than ten kilometers from where he stood. The capital city of Lorwardia Prime and its huge spaceport were instantly vaporized, along with its immense battlefleet just making their final preparations for takeoff. The deadly shockwave resulting from the terrific impact hit Zorpox less than a second later, and the supreme ruler of Lorwardia was no more.

Lorwardia now ironically suffered the same dire fate as they had inflicted on Earth a mere two months before. A crater over a thousand miles wide was created by the asteroid impact, spewing dust and ejecta high into Lorwardia's already dusty atmosphere. In the hours that followed, the impact's supersonic airblast along with megaquakes greater than 15 on the Richter scale had completely leveled the planet. Within a week, those Lorwardians who had not perished outright had also expired, their atmosphere now an unbreathable cloud of thick, red dust. The once mighty planet of Lorwardia was no more.

After Lorwardia's demise was discovered, the conquered worlds would soon rise up in rebellion against their cruel masters. Without the mighty Lorwardian space fleet to intimidate them or deliver desperately needed supplies to the occupying forces, the oppressed worlds would begin fighting back, eventually regaining their freedom. With the yoke of Lorwardian tyranny finally shattered, the alternate universe would slowly begin to rebuild, grateful for their miraculous deliverance. But much to the chagrin of the few remaining Lorwardians, Zorpox the Conqueror would forever after be known as Zorpox the Conquered.

And above it all, a small being hovered, cheerfully glowing red in the darkness of space. He looked down in satisfaction and smiled as he thought to himself, "Balance has once again been restored to the multiverse, and the ones called Kim and Ron have again saved their world."

He chuckled to himself. "Make that their entire universe, and that of this alternate dimension as well." He ended with a small sigh. "I only hope that the Hierarchy will find this solution acceptable..."

* * *

Now back on board the escape pod along with Ron, Kim gratefully announced, "Congratulations, everyone. We've finally done it! The last of the asteroids have been finally been destroyed, and we've saved the world, once again."

Cheers and hollers again broke out on the cramped life pod, while Ron erupted in a huge 'Booyah,' only to be smothered with a grateful kiss from Kim while everyone else looked happily on.

"So that's Earth: 5, Asteroids: Zero! And let's hope that's the last time we ever have to do _that_ again, KP. I'd hate to think of something even more catastrophic happening to our little corner of the galaxy."

Shego snarked back, "Hey, Ronster! Let's not jinx the flippin' planet after we just saved it, okay?"

James merely laughed and said, "Great job, Kimmie-cub. Your reputation as the girl who can do anything remains undeniably safe and secure."

Drakken even joined in the congratulations. "Yes, Kimberly Ann. You are truly indeed, all that."

Rufus added his own cheerful _"Uh huh!"_ for good measure. Kim demurely replied, "Well, it wasn't just me, this was a real group effort. Let's not forget who rigged up that spankin' Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer to the Kinematic Continuum Disruptor..."

Yori graced Ron with a warm smile. "Or who used his command of the Lotus Blade to create a black hole..."

Ron quickly added, "Or who combined themselves into Yokimgo, dragging a huge asteroid behind them through the inner Solar System at faster than the speed of light."

Kim concluded, "Yup, this was definitely one ferocious group effort."

Not to be outdone, Shego snarked back, "Yeah, yeah, wonderful. But I'm warning you, Kimmie: if you _ever_ suck me into another alternate dimension again, I'll place a well-aimed plasma blast where the sun doesn't shine, you read me?"

Kim replied with touch of playful sarcasm. "Of course, _Ambassador WarShego_. But wouldn't that instigate yet _another_ interstellar incident between our worlds?"

The green-skinned beauty responded with a slight huff. "Yeah, you're right. One interplanetary war per year is my limit."

Wade interjected, "Well, if you two are done with your snarking, aren't we all forgetting something? With the Kepler gone, how are we going to get home?"

Ron grimaced, "Ooh, that's one big problemo all right. Uh, what time did you say the next interplanetary bus will arrive?"

But as they all began mumbling together in concern, the videoscreen once again crackled into life.

"Tsk, tsk. You pitiful humans are certainly caught between a Thorgoggle and the deep red desert, aren't you? Luckily the Imperial Shuttle has plenty of room for the whole lot of you."

Ron beamed, "Warmonga! Boy, are we happy to see you! We sure could use a lift back to Earth, if you wouldn't mind?"

"Warmonga would be quite pleased to assist. Then together with WarShego and the Great Blue, we will travel back to Lorwardia, but not before taking a small detour to Mars in order to capture WarRaptor and whichever of his treasonous minions survived the crash. And I have _just_ the spot on my palace wall to display some brand new trophies..."

* * *

Meanwhile, on the surface of Mars, another discovery was being made by the survivors of the battlecruiser crash of just a week before.

Battlefox growled, "Well, WarRaptor, I've been monitoring Earth communication frequencies, and your plans have utterly failed. Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable have just succeeded in saving the Earth. Again! And when Warmonga arrives here, she will undoubtedly have our heads on a platter, then stuffed and mounted on her wall as a warning to any future traitors!"

Wolfenstrike bitterly complained, "That is, if we even survive long enough to be rescued. This escape pod only has limited air and provisions, and they're nearly exhausted. That hidden base probably had enough supplies to last us for years, but after our ship crashed into it, I'm sure there's nothing salvageable left."

WarRaptor hung his head in defeat. In spite of his intricate plans to deal with any conceivable contingency, plus many a Plan B, C or D, all of his machinations had finally come to naught.

"_Just like what happened to my father, WarOwl. I should have just left well enough alone, especially when it came to locking horns with Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable, not to mention WarShego_…"

He lifted his head and announced, "Well, in the meantime, I may as well search those ruins for anything left that might be even remotely useful to us. I'll signal you if I discover anything, and shall return as soon as possible."

As he opened the hatch to the airlock, Battlefox grumbled, "Don't hurry back."

WarRaptor nearly changed his mind, wondering if the other two would even let him back into the escape pod once he returned. He let out a disconsolate sigh, figuring it probably wouldn't matter too much either way. They were all probably doomed in any case.

The frozen carbon dioxide ice crunched beneath WarRaptor's boots. It had been a dark, cold night, and the temperature had fallen to more than a hundred degrees below zero. The pale, distant sun had just risen, and soon clouds of carbon dioxide vapor began to appear, heated by the relatively warm sun. Rolling gently across the icy plains of Mars, they hid an ancient, deadly secret.

Sensing WarRaptor's warmth even through his protective spacesuit, emaciated Martian hands began bursting out from just beneath the ground, attempting to ensnare the surprised Lorwardian.

In a panic, he began to lope across the barren landscape. But the eerie claws continued to erupt from underneath the frozen surface, hungrily grabbing onto WarRaptor's boots and slowing his progress. He furiously tried to kick them away, but their implacable grip soon had him firmly stuck in place.

Suddenly, eerily glowing eyes appeared in the distance. The early morning mist had managed to successfully cover the advance of an army of long dead Martian zombies, slowly marching over the icy Martian plain, seeking out any warm, living flesh to consume.

Terrified, WarRaptor watched helplessly as the fog continued to rise, rising to waist level just as the first zombies reached him. Eagerly seeking their first meal in a millennium, they tore at his spacesuit and dragged him beneath the roiling clouds of carbon dioxide vapor.

Through the comm unit, Battlefox only heard a few seconds worth of his horrific screams before all contact was lost.

Ironically, one of the Mars Rovers had spotted the bizarre event, capturing the entire ghastly scene from its perfect vantage point on a nearby hill. Once the recordings had been transmitted back to NASA and declassified a year later, Ron Stoppable would turn to a horrified Bonnie Rockwaller and declare with a smug look, "Told ya so…"

_**To Be Concluded...**_


End file.
